Total Destruction
by ZLiu
Summary: A sudden war breaks out between the Hidden Villages of Cloud, Mist, and Rock. Konoha and Suna step in to mediate, with the result of a special Jonin Exam being made as a sign of peace. However, all is not what it seems, as Akatsuki makes its final move.
1. The Blind Uchiha

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto, nor any part of it. No fanfiction, especially this one, will be as good as the original.

The first four chapters are dedicated to the new villain I created.

There really isn't any main character, as lots of characters all enjoy the limelight.

Conforms to manga up to chapter 344

Watching the anime or reading the manga is HIGHLY recommended to enjoy the most of this story. (Only a few minor instances of filler content, and they are not important)

_Special thanks to Zinjah, who helped me edit this._

Enjoy.

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**Glossary:**

**Gakure: **Hidden Village. The ninja village that represents the military power of the countries. Can be added to a name to mean "Hidden Village of" (e.g. Konohagakure Hidden Village of Leaf)

**Kiri:** Mist. Village in Water Country. Smallest of all the countries, but Kirigakure is large and powerful enough to be one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Plagued by constant civil war in the Narutoverse.

**Kumo:** Cloud. Village in Lightning Country

**Iwa:** Rock. Village in Earth Country. Earth Country is the largest country. Had gone to war with Konoha quite a few times in the past.

**Konoha:** Leaf. Village in Fire Country. Even though Fire Country is not the largest country, the Hidden Village of Leaf is the largest Hidden Village.

**Suna:** Sand. Village in Wind Country. The feudal lord (or daimyo) had reduced its ninjas and out-sourced jobs to Konoha, leaving Suna very weak. It tried to compensate by having ninjas of higher caliber. Had gone to war with Konoha in the Naruto story when this crisis reached a peak, but it was set up by Orochimaru. Now great allies with Konoha.

**Kage**: Literally "Shadow". The leader of a Hidden Village. Added to the end of the village name. (e.g. Hokage Fire Shadow)

**Shodai**: First. (Shodai Hokage first hokage)

**Nidaime**: Second (Nidaime Hokage second hokage)

**Sandaime**: Third

**Yondaime**: Fourth

**Godaime**: Fifth

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**Chapter 1: The Blind Uchiha**

Inabi was proud. Finally, he had a son. The hospital had just informed him, about 3 hours ago, that his wife Ichira had a son. Being the person that he is, Inabi wouldn't dare leave his job just to see his baby, but his boss Fugaku had let him off at precisely 6 p.m. rather than the usual one hour extra time.

Inabi arrived at the hospital, full of smiles. The hospital people had smiled at him too, all realizing what this means: another member has been added to the glorious Uchiha clan. A nurse told Inabi to go to room 66. Inabi could barely stop himself from dashing up to the room in ten seconds.

When Inabi arrived, he realized something was not right. His wife was surprisingly silent, especially after having a baby. At first, Inabi thought there were intruders, and activated his sharingan, but realized that nothing was unusual.

Just then, Fugaku arrived. "I see you have a blessing today," Fugaku said.

"Thank you very much sir. Of course, he'll be no match for your child."

"I wouldn't count on that. The Uchiha elder told me Itachi has high chakra levels, but conclusions are all muddy water. For all we know, your son could become the Fourth Hokage, assuming Orochimaru doesn't take the title of course."

"You flatter me, Fugaku. It _is_ clear…"

"Inabi," Ichira said weakly, "the boy is…" She paused. Fugaku and Inabi watched as she seemed to come out of a trance. "He is blind."

Inabi couldn't speak for a moment. "A blind son? A BLIND UCHIHA?! That is not possible? My son is a perfectly healthy son, even the hospital confirmed throughout these months. They detected nothing abnormal throughout his life. There is NO WAY that he can be…"

"He is," Fugaku replied. "Look, he is awake, but doesn't respond to anything." Fugaku snapped his fingers inches from the child's eyes, shook his hand, and even shined a light. There was no response from the wide-eyed child.

Inabi trembled. He could not believe it, but it was true. "My son…" he sobbed, "my son."

"This is strange indeed," replied a voice, "but I must say that the boy is extremely healthy, _and_ extremely powerful."

Fugaku turned abruptly around, his sharingan red as the setting sun. When he realized who the mysterious man was, he quickly bowed and apologized, turning off his sharingan so casually it wouldn't be noticeable to the untrained eye.

"Sir, I did not know…"

"Apology accepted," replied the Uchiha elder. "For future information – the hospital always informs me of any birth abnormalities outside of their expertise."

"Sorry, but could you enlighten us?" Fugaku asked.

"Very well, but please be patient," the elder replied. A silence, almost audible, followed him. He continued. "Being an Uchiha, the boy has the sharingan bloodline limit, but he also has another bloodline. This second bloodline is so strong and so repressive, his sharingan cannot be activated, and neither his sight. He must be killed for it."

"_Two_ bloodline limits?" Ichira asked. "How is that possible? And why must he be killed? This second ability is a gift never bestowed before. He can lead a normal shinobi life, just with … a tiny little disability."

"I understand your motherly instincts, but group survival must come first. The second bloodline limit had been wiped out over 700 years ago. The exact details of this bloodline limit are unknown, since all who saw it were unable to tell the tale. They were wiped out with the combined efforts of the Hyuga, Uchiha, Aburame, and various other noble clans of the past, but though we succeeded in victory, the cost was too great. The members of this bloodline limit played an integral part in the establishment of the superiority of the samurai class. They were brutal in their government, and to prevent their rise, the Hyuga, Uchiha, and Aburame formed the first shinobi village."

"I see…" was all that Ichira was able to mutter.

"Well," said the elder in a tone of finality, "we have only one thing to do." He raised his hands, and started performing a hand seal.

"Wait!" Inabi suddenly shouted, so abruptly that the elder actually stopped. "I will kill this boy, myself and my wife." He looked at Fugaku and the elder. "Alone."

--

"How… how… how could you do this?!" Ichira half screamed, half demanded.

"I am giving this boy a chance to live," Inabi replied. "Ah, here it is. The secret meeting place of the Uchiha clan, under the seventh mat at the Nakano temple. I will leave this boy here."

"NO!!" Ichira hugged the boy defensively. "He may be part of a deadly bloodline, but he may change, times are different…"

"A leopard can't change its skin. You don't know, but the elder had told me when I entered the elite ranks of the Uchiha. This bloodline is a natural enemy to the Uchiha and the Hyuga, and cannot make peace with either, despite the numerous attempts from both sides."

"But kill him from starvation and refusal to give quarters… The cruelest method of extermination!"

"I know, but I believe this is correct. Listen, it seems that fate is the father of this child. After 700 years, it just had to be now, with us, in Konoha, at this time of our greatest strength, that such an unlikely mutation would occur, with our baby, and give rise to this bloodline. At this time, Konoha can go unchallenged throughout the shinobi lands, with the White Fang, Sandaime, the Sannin, the Yellow Flash, and talented clans such as the Hyuga, Uchiha, Aburame, and others. Not to mention some elite genins, like Kakashi and Tenzo, being our future. However, perhaps we shall lose them soon, and maybe this child could be our savior, twenty, thirty years into the future."

"He could also be the ruin."

"Yes, but I leave that to fate. If fate is unfortunate to Konoha, then even if this child dies, Konoha will still fall. If fate is kind, this child will be the savior. If fate is kind to this boy, this boy will survive despite all the odds."

"You and your obsessions with fate."

"Listen Ichira. Ever since I met you 10 years ago, I never demanded anything, nor mistreated you. We are very happy together. But let me ask you just this once: please, let me do this."

Inabi got down on his knees. Ichira quickly lifted him up. "And Fugaku?" she asked.

"He already knows. But he has just had a child too – Uchiha Itachi. He knows what love is. As for the elder, his son is long gone, and in his age and wisdom, it is hard for the elder to fathom the workings of youth and love."

"All right."

"Oh, and I gave him a name. Since he is so powerful so young, and possesses a powerful bloodline which may be the ruin of the world, I will name him Jyashin. Yes, evil god, and yes, not a pleasant name. Of course, whoever finds him will probably not take the note under the baby seriously. So remember – we never had a child."

--

That night, a strange ninja was going through the streets of Konoha. His speed is impressive; he disappears from one place to the next almost instantaneously. He is a ninja from Hidden Mist, on a top secret, S-rank mission to discover Konoha's secrets. He had barely avoided a hit with Orochimaru and Jiraiya, coming from a bar in high spirits. He secretly thanked fate, as the two Sannin friends were apparently too drunk to notice him.

"What is the point of this mission? Even if I find out everything, Kiri still will not have any advantage. Our land is poor for farming, and being so remote, we are always low on funds. We won't catch up with Konoha at all, even in 100 years. Somehow, we have to conveniently remove the Sannin, let Sandaime get old, get the Yellow Flash and White Fang to die in a freak accident, and the new chunins and genins would have to somehow forget to practice for 10 years. Sounds real simple."

He decided that he had enough for this night, and decided to return to the forest where he stayed, when he spotted a large temple. Though it wasn't exactly in the center of the Uchiha clan's land, he could tell that it belonged to the Uchiha.

He looked at the temple, almost drawn to it, then decided that at least it's better than the forest.

The spy entered the temple, only to find nothing there. Just some mats. So it seemed like a conference room. "Nobody will come here for a snack," he murmured.

Suddenly, the spy stiffened. He could clearly hear breathing, and readied himself for a fight. But then, who would be breathing so loud, and not moving?

The spy located the position. It was directly under the seventh mat from the door to the right. He lifted the mat, to find a trapdoor, leading down a flight of stairs. He entered, and the first thing he found was a baby in a little makeshift cradle. He noticed that the baby was blind. He lifted the baby, and found a note underneath, written in shaky and distressful handwriting.

_"This boy belongs to whoever finds him. Because of certain cultural factors, we cannot take him. Please take good care of him. His name is Uchiha Jyashin_"

"Uchiha. This could come in handy."

--Four years later--

"Wow, you've managed to pin me with those shuriken." The voice belonged to the same man, but it was clear he had grown. His arms now bear numerous cuts and bruises, and his face show apparent overwork and stress.

"I try each day," a young boy answered. He had medium length brown hair, and though only four years old, had a slim, well-built body. His stature was big, being already a meter tall. A dream child of any parent, but for one disadvantage. The boy was blind, his eyes tightly shut.

"I still can't believe you wanted to become a ninja like me, all at an age of three." _And also to become so good with speed and shuriken in just a year that you could be mistaken for a ten-year-old_. The man thought silently.

It was a year ago when the young boy (whom the man had fed with the rations he managed to steal) asked the man what he did everyday, and why he couldn't go outside. The man stated that he was a ninja, not explaining the second question. Surprisingly, the boy never ventured out. The boy also wanted to become like the man, like a real ninja, which the man dismissed as childish thoughts. The man's tongue had accidentally slipped, and told the boy that a LOT of training was needed. Immediately, the boy began to run laps around the room, even doing a few pushups; clearly an imitation of the light exercises the man did everyday before he left the room in the morning, of which the man had decided to tell the boy how to do out of amusement. Even more amused, the man decided to start with some basic simple body exercises – pushups, laps, crunches, and jumping jacks – then to some harder things – throwing balls, pull-ups, and squats – and more recently, how to throw kunai and shuriken. For some reason, the boy was absorbing everything like a sponge, and progressed so well that it frightened the man.

In fact, the boy was so adept with the shuriken and kunai that a couple times, such as today, the boy even managed to pin the man. To think that the boy could do it without aiming to hurt the man was astonishing.

_This boy is dangerous… too dangerous. At this rate, when he reaches adolescence, he will be more powerful that I can hope to achieve in a lifetime. I should kill the boy now, when I have the chance, and do both my village and me a favor._ The man was just about to start carrying out his plan when he stopped.

_Wait, this boy is young. He has never known Konoha, nor has he ever stepped outside. When I tell him what happened between him and the Uchiha, he will hate them more. Children are easy to manipulate. To him, I AM his father. When he is of age, I will take him to my village. Looks like Kirigakure will be saved after all._

"Kid, you're extremely talented. From now on, we get serious. I will teach you everything I know."

The boy only smiled.

--One year later--

A man was panting, hard. He was caught in a trap: shurikens and kunai to his back, shurikens about to be unleashed from his sides, and a blazing fireball coming in front. His chakra was almost out, but he had just enough to perform some quick seals, and use a water shield to protect him from everything. Now, he was out of chakra, out of stamina, and out of luck.

"You're out of luck," a young boy said. This young boy was standing right in front of him, with the noticeable feature of being blind. "This little kunai will be all that is needed to make you lose."

"You're right," the man said. He was astonished. Even though only very basic ninjutsu and taijutsu were taught to the boy, he mastered them all, and was able to use them extremely effectively. So effectively, that despite the man's superior arsenal of jutsu, the boy was able to defeat him with his intelligence and wit. Defeat him! A jonin! By a mere child of 5! This boy was _definitely_ going to become a major asset of Hidden Mist.

"Wait," the boy said, "you have better jutsus. You have more experience. You train anytime, but I have to learn to use a potty, speak, and tie my shoes. You are big, I am 5 years old. But I beat you. You know why? Because you suck, and can't use your jutsus, but I can. So I beat you."

"That…is…absolutely…true" the man muttered under his breath.

"Exactly."

"That was a private conversation!"

"You talk so loud."

"AHHHHHHH!" The man yelled in frustration.

"One is completely under another's control when he is angered by the other."

"You even know the Art of War!"

"I like Sun Tzu."

"You are amazing, even if you were an adult, you'd be a jonin! Today, we have nothing else to learn. We are going to take a look at those historical scrolls you've been waiting to see!"

"Really?" The boy said skeptically. "You will let me?"

"So much doubt."

"Sorry."

Nevertheless, the man was extremely pleased with his pupil. He didn't know where he got such insightfulness to know how to use his techniques so well, nor how he has the ability to learn so quickly, but it doesn't matter. As promised, he began to read the first scroll to him.

After the man finished, the boy was silent. After a little bit, "Why are we in this really, really important place of the Uchiha clan?"

"Because you are an Uchiha. Your name: Uchiha Jyashin."

"But I thought the Uchiha all had sharingans?"

"And you do. However, it appears you have a second bloodline limit – special abilities, that is. I don't know what it is exactly, but it seems so powerful that it repressed your sharingan, as well as your eyesight. After all, there was never a person in history with two bloodline limits."

"I don't like it. I hate it."

"Why?"

"Because the Sharingan is like me. The second special ability is like this village, Konoha right? I can't go out, right? Because of _cultural reasons_, I have no mom and dad. They don't love me! They hate me! And I hate them! I hate this place! I hate these people!"

"There are many things in this world which are unjust. Even I, a full-grown adult, cannot answer all the whys and how's."

"I don't want to stay here anymore!"

The man was silent. He really wanted to know what the second scroll detailed. He suddenly hit an idea.

"Hey, you want to go to my village?"

"Sure!"

"But first, we finish with these scrolls."

"Quickly!"

The man read on:

"The glorious Uchiha clan was created by the legendary Madara, a shinobi of the ancient forests, in 400 A.D. His skills were so powerful; nobody has ever defeated him in battle. However, he was very lonely, as there was nobody else to challenge him, until he met a certain woman also of legendary skills. Both possessed special eyes: Madara had the Mangekyo sharingan, while the woman, Shinuri, had the Byakugan. They fought ferociously, but there was no winner. They decided to continuously duel, time and time again. After a few years, their rivalry led to friendship, and from friendship, to love. They married, and had two children: the first one, a boy, was named Uchiha; the second one, a girl, was named Hyuga. Both became master shinobi as well, but Uchiha inherited the Mangekyo sharingan while Hyuga inherited the Byakugan, as nobody could attain two bloodlines."

"Until me."

"Yes," the man replied, and then continued reading. "Though Uchiha went on to start the Uchiha clan, Madara is credited with the creation of the clan, while Shinuri was credited with the creation of the Hyuga clan, which the girl went on to create. However, after Uchiha there was no other Mangekyo, as constant hybridizing with other shinobi and non-shinobi eventually led to even the normal sharingan being hard to activate until a decade after birth in most cases. The Mangekyo was even harder."

"Skip the history lesson."

"Why?"

"Because the Mangekyo can give me back my eyes."

"What made you think so?"

"Why else are you so interested in the Mangekyo, and telling me?"

_Too smart. Way too smart._ "Yes, very well then." The man spread the scroll. "Ah, here."

"Though Madara and Uchiha both had the Mangekyo, they had different types. If Uchiha had married Hyuga, the Mangekyo would be passed down indefinitely, as long as the cousins or siblings married. Being unethical, the Mangekyo was degraded so that to activate it, special conditions must be met. Though only two types of Mangekyo were ever seen, the descendants of Uchiha determined there were four possibilities. They are Fire, Sea, Forest, and Wind Mangekyos. Each has its own special conditions. Harder conditions result in more powerful Mangekyos..."

The man suddenly stopped. A passage had caught his eye. "The Sea Mangekyo probably has the hardest condition to satisfy, though the actual individual doesn't need to do anything. The individual must be born blind, stigmatized and outcast, and resentful to those responsible. Then, the individual must continuously mold chakra into the individual's eyes for one year in order to revive eyesight, and then, the Water Mangekyo will manifest itself."

"Sea it is," the man said.

And so, the man began to initiate the Sea Mangekyo. Jyashin's chakra control was impeccable, but his knowledge of its movement was novice. The man found his goal almost impossible – he found it very difficult to stay in one place for an hour twice a day, carefully channeling his own chakra into Jyashin, not to mention fixing Jyashin's own mistakes. Jyashin managed to be able to do it himself after three weeks; the man silently thanked Jyashin's natural intelligence and quick learning.

After exactly thirty days, Jyashin fell sick. He continuously complained of eye cramps and high body temperature, but the man knew otherwise. However, he did not tell Jyashin the truth, instead opting with "this shows you are finally correctly controlling your chakra, and your body is adjusting."

That night, Jyashin could not sleep. Jyashin tossed and turned, and then a sudden pain hit his eyes. He bolted upright, the pain became worse and worse, until it was blinding. Jyashin screamed as the pain hit a peak, and disappeared as suddenly as it appeared. For some reason, the room was not as dark as Jyashin was used to.

Jyashin's sensei suddenly came to, and asked what the matter was. Jyashin told the man that his eyes hurt, and the man began to use some medical skills to look at Jyashin's eyes. The man was still surprised that Jyashin managed to completely activate the Sea Mangekyo in a month, even though the scroll stated one year.

"Just go back to sleep," the man stated calmly. He then noticed Jyashin was already asleep.

--

"Good morning, Jyashin. Why are your eyes closed? Open them. NOW!"

Jyashin was puzzled. Wasn't he always like this? But when the man shouted NOW, Jyashin did it, afraid that the man was in a bad mood. Surprisingly, his eyelids opened. The room was dark, since no candles were lit.

"I had purposely left the candles unlit, so your eyes can adjust to light gradually. Now I will light them. Turn around."

Jyashin did, and the candles were lit, at the far side of the room. Though it was dim, Jyashin could feel a little singe of pain in his eyes.

After half an hour, Jyashin could fully adjust to light, and was able to sit next to the candle. "I still like my eyes closed, I feel my chakra getting depleted."

"A natural occurrence," the man thought to himself. "The scroll did state that the user cannot turn off the Sea Mangekyo. Unfortunately, closing your eyes won't help."

Actually it did. The boy felt much better after his eyes were closed. "Must be the second bloodline," the man mused.

For the next half year, the man taught Jyashin how to read and write. Skills that he said were absolutely necessary in becoming a good ninja. Jyashin was so caught up in the work that he forgot he wanted to go to Hidden Mist.

They also carefully studied and experimented with the abilities of the Sea Mangekyo. It grants the user great perception, the ability to read and copy all ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu, an unbeatable eyesight, and two special abilities: Tsukuyomi and Susanoo.

"These next things are extremely clear directions to follow. However, not being an Uchiha, I won't be able to help you. Besides, I need to go back to my village, and I will return in half a year to take you with me. No, I cannot take you now. I would prefer that you don't go out of this room, but I can't enforce it. Just don't start anything. I left some books to help you read and write. And it will be hard for you to adjust to the light outside: the sun is extremely bright."

"Sun?"

"Goodbye."

Jyashin was really depressed. Hadn't his sensei promised him that Jyashin could quickly leave Konoha? Suddenly, Jyashin remembered that his sensei had promised him he could leave after reading the scrolls. But it was too late now. His sensei was gone, and he has no idea how to leave.

Actually, Jyashin found solitude very comfortable after a week. He could do whatever he wanted, as long as nobody knew him. Everyday, after reading a few pages and performing basic training, he would practice his new Mangekyo techniques, usually on a rabbit or squirrel. Jyashin would capture it easily with Susanoo, then use Tsukuyomi to practice various jutsus on it for 72 hours. Sometimes, a bloody carnage might result from Jyashin's training. While Jyashin was afraid of the blood and gore at first, he gradually came to live with it, and finally to embrace it. After all, hadn't his sensei told him of the brutality of ninja life? He silently thanked his sensei for teaching him the Extreme Waterfall technique, while not only acted as a good shield, but could also wash away all evidence.

What Jyashin did not understand was all the cautions written all over the scroll. The scroll stated that a well-trained jonin would need about half his chakra reserves to activate Tsukuyomi and even more for Susanoo if the body was not trained well. However, Jyashin had no troubles with his chakra reserves. He found out that he could use Susanoo ten times before he started to feel the pangs of fatigue. Yes, he had to sleep ten hours to shake it off, but the aftereffects were nowhere as close as what the scroll warned, though it did say that the Sea Mangekyo was a great help to chakra conservation.

Jyashin found out what the sun was very quickly. It was extremely bright. Somehow, he liked it, as he basked in its light and warmth, much better than the dark room in the Nakano Temple. A couple times, he noticed people coming, but quickly hid. The Sea Mangekyo became a friend, a reminder of his absent sensei.

One day, Jyashin had slept during the afternoon after a difficult training session. He woke around midnight, and realized that he probably won't have to sleep that night. It also happened that he woke because an extremely large fox with nine tails was approaching. Jyashin climbed to the top of the tree, and the fox promptly noticed him. Jyashin didn't think such a large fox would see a little person like him.

Jyashin told the fox that he would like to spar with the fox, and the fox became amused, and decided to. Jyashin quickly unleashed a Tsukuyomi attack, but somehow, the fox was able to resist. Jyashin had thrown shuriken at the fox for 72 hours. And even though they all hit, the fox didn't seem all that flustered. Jyashin didn't know why he threw the shuriken, but he certainly got mad after the fox told him how weak he was. Susanoo was a fiasco, as the giant fox seemed to be made of fire, and Jyashin couldn't get anywhere near it. Last, Jyashin tried the Extreme Waterfall about a hundred times, but the water all got evaporated by the fire and Jyashin became virtually chakra-less. The fox only laughed harder.

Jyashin knew the end was coming, and was about to say a final goodbye to his sensei when another boy suddenly pulled him away and they both disappeared, far from the fox. Jyashin then noticed that countless men and women, wearing the same kind of clothing as his sensei save a few symbols, began to attack the fox. Jyashin also noticed the boy who rescued him, a kid about a head taller than him, with a mask covering most of his face except for his right eye, and a lot of white hair.

"You did really nice, but only jonins and elite chunins are supposed to fight the Kyubi. Go on home now."

Jyashin did, but couldn't help but feel a certain attachment to the kid's left eye.

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Endnotes:

Well, that's it for chapter 1. Hope you liked it.

I changed the death date for Hatake Sukumo so that he died three years later than in the manga. Everything else works, maybe a little tweaking of a few months was needed, but oh well :)

Please read and review.


	2. Journey to the Mist

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.

Refer to the glossary on Chapter 1 if you can't understand some of the words.

Yay! Chapter 2!

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**Chapter 2: Journey to the Mist **

A week after the fight with the Kyubi, Jyashin's sensei returned. When Jyashin told him about his little fight with the fox, his sensei became extremely nervous and his face turned pale. Then, he started rambling about biju and jinchuriki, none of which made sense to Jyashin. Jyashin did glean a little information though: the fox was called Kyubi because it had nine tails, and there are eight other demons, having 1 to 8 tails.

Jyashin asked his sensei if there were ways to capture even a demon, which the man replied that there was none other than seals, but they would be too powerful, even for elite ninjas way above him. Jyashin didn't like seals, since it reminded himself of being restrained in Konoha, so he resolved that he will make the best jutsu ever, completely original, and being so powerful that even demons could be captured. Since he seemed to use less chakra than most people, that dream could come easier.

The next day, Jyashin was about to begin his little experimentation, when his sensei burst in, looking extremely worried.

"We're leaving. NOW! Don't even pack. Let's go!"

Jyashin hurriedly followed. "Why are we going?"

"I've been found. I'll explain on the way."

Jyashin was puzzled, maybe the fox was back? Jyashin did get a little fazed by the sudden appearance of miniature monsters, but upon closer examination, noticed that they were men, with some extremely large kunai (which he realized were swords), and wearing masks that resembled animals. He didn't realize why his sensei was so flustered: their techniques were easy, they were slow, and because of their bulk, appeared clumsy.

"What…"

"These are ANBU" his sensei said. "Elite shinobi that hunt down others; and their target is me. They're extremely fast, strong, and powerful. It takes a lot to be an ANBU, and with a dozen on our tail, we have to move fast."

"They don't seem that strong to me." Jyashin stopped and turned around.

"What are you doing?"

Jyashin was gone in a mighty gust of wind. His speed was impressive, the mist ninja noted, which only Renge could match. In fact, the third gate would have to be opened.

Three ANBU members were taken aback by the sudden attack. They could not believe that such a strong taijutsu existed. They grouped together, ready to attack, when Jyashin started running circles around them. Before they knew it, Jyashin had struck, and killed the ANBU members easily.

"There's more."

"I know," Jyashin replied.

"Don't fight. It's paramount that we get to Kirigakure. Let's go!"

Jyashin agreed silently. He had no idea how many others were after him. And he realized that the second group was no pushover. They were much stronger, and one particular man was giving off a much more powerful aura than the others, much more that Jyashin could hope to stand.

Jyashin and his sensei traveled fast, both going at peak speed, but both realized that before long, the ANBU will be upon them. And soon enough, the ANBU caught up, staying right behind them, when one spoke.

"You're a ninja from Kirigakure, sent on a mission to retrieve the secrets of Konohagakure. And you're quite powerful too, to escape from three ANBU squads in your flight across Konoha. Give up now, for three miles from here is a large canyon, falling off into an abyss. There is no way you can get across, not with the current state you're in. You had to fight off three ANBU squads, flee all the way here, and use an extreme taijutsu to kill three of our members."

"Faster!"

"It is pointless. Sandaime is with us right now, so you can stop any prospects of a last stand. Seeing as how you have your boy with you, we'll give you a chance to surrender. Come peacefully, and no harm will come to you or your boy."

"As if you're not going to force me to divulge the secrets of my country! I will never…"

The man trailed off. In front, he saw two lines of ANBU, armed to the teeth. They are guarding a man in a white robe, and a white and red hat with the Fire kanji on it. _The Sandaime_. There was no escape. He could clearly see a large chasm behind; there was no way he could cross it in his current state.

The man looked at Jyashin. This boy is worth far more than he did. If it weren't for Sandaime, the two of them may actually have a chance of killing their pursuers. As it stands now, they will either both be killed, or they will surrender to Konoha. The treacherous prospect disgusted him.

He remembered some fond memories. He remembered taking care of Jyashin, feeding the boy every mouthful as a baby. He remembered forcing Jyashin to use the potty instead of using diapers. He remembered making Jyashin train hard, so hard that maybe he was too tough on the boy, as Jyashin was sweating from head to toe. He remembered forcing Jyashin to wash his own clothes, cook his own food, etc., all under the guise of "ninja training."

He also remembered kinder memories. He helped Jyashin recognize words. He helped Jyashin read the scroll in the Nakano shrine, carefully studying it together. He taught Jyashin how to tie his shoes, wear his clothes, and tuck himself into bed each night. And of course, He remembered helping Jyashin mold chakra into his eyes and circulate it back to his heart, resulting in that fateful night when Jyashin regained his eyesight.

This boy is the fate of Kirigakure. He is the future. He is the greatest asset of Hidden Mist, who can finally propel the Mist above the Leaf. Let Hidden Mist emerge from the shadows, no more hiding in the island recluse, and function like a proper Shinobi village. Jyashin… he may become the savior of Hidden Mist. Jyashin… a life worth far more than his.

His mind set, the man looked at Jyashin, looked at him closely, one final time. For the glory of Kirigakure, for the welfare of his country, what little is one life compared to that?

"Jyashin, here."

The man grabbed Jyashin with one hand. Tucking Jyashin under his armpit, the man prepared his ultimate sacrifice. He rushed toward Sandaime. The ANBU started to close in, but he did not care. He was looking intently at Sandaime, giving the image of an assassination attempt, but his goal was as far from that as the chasm in front.

Sandaime gave a wane smile. He realized that the man had no chance. Whipping his Hokage outfit away, he revealed his shinobi uniform underneath. He had let Orochimaru escape, but there was no way he was letting this spy escape.

Suddenly, the man concentrated his chakra to his feet, and lunged up and forward, hurling into the chasm.

"NO!" Sandaime yelled. "The boy deserves more…"

"Goodbye, Jyashin. You were the best," the man whispered.

Just when it appeared that the man could go no further, he concentrated all his remaining chakra to his arms, and flung Jyashin across to the other side. He used so much chakra that he was left in a critical state, but it doesn't matter, as he is about to die anyways.

"NO! SENSEI!" Jyashin couldn't stop it. He would rather die together with his sensei, but the man flung Jyashin to the opposite side with all the force he could muster.

"Go toward the rising sun to Kirigakure! You are our hope!" And with that, the man took a kunai to the heart. He would be long dead when he finally hit the bottom.

Jyashin could not restrain himself. He wanted to jump back into the chasm with his sensei, but he realized that would be throwing his sensei's ultimate sacrifice away, like it was worth nothing. Determined, Jyashin resolved that he will travel towards the rising sun, and there to Kirigakure.

--

Jyashin's feet were dirty and rugged from all the walking, his flesh pale from hunger and thirst. His tears had long dried up, but he was soaked from sweat. He was shivering, both due to the lack of shelter and to his constant nightmares of the chasm. Most of the time, Jyashin found himself jumping back into the pit of darkness, then getting impaled by the jagged spears at the bottom. He imagined himself looking like the squirrels he tortured in his training routines, and unimaginable pain would pierce all over his body, waking him up in a fit of terror before he realized the pain came from sleeping on the ground.

Finally, Jyashin arrived at a city. According to some travel posts, the city was the greatest place for gambling. Not knowing what it was, Jyashin thought it might give some clue to where Kirigakure is. Jyashin vowed that he will fulfill his sensei's dream of letting Kirigakure prosper (he gathered that much from his sensei's obsession with the village) and avenge his sensei's death and his own misery.

As no more shinobi were pursuing, Jyashin took the liberty of experimenting with new jutsus on his road to the East. Jyashin knew that he no longer had a sensei to look after him, and no white-haired kid to protect him from a stronger foe.

Jyashin discovered what his second bloodline ability was, and was very surprised at its own autonomy. He could not cancel the ability until a victory for either side was ensured; and he found the power surge frightening. The captivating power of the second bloodline explained its ability to grant Jyashin with unparalleled chakra conservation and control, but if Jyashin were ever to use the bloodline, he would be engaged in a life and death struggle that cannot be stopped.

At the city, it was very different from what Jyashin was used to. There was constant bustling and noise; there were so many people, and so many places for him to visit. Nobody paid any attention to him, and not wanting to attract any attention, Jyashin kept his eyes open, despite the chakra drain.

A man dressed very strangely invited him into a house to help him. Jyashin was a bit suspicious, since he never knew the man, but was a bit relieved when he saw the words "gambling parlor" written at the top of the building.

Inside, he saw a bunch of men, seated in a fashion as though they were part of a conference. One man was holding two cubes, put them in a cup, shook it in a very flashy style, and put it down. He asked the man to his right to "place a bet, Han or Chou". The man said Han, and everybody put some round coins unto the table. Some said "Han", while others said "Chou". Finally, when it was done, the cup was lifted, and showed the two cubes. Some people moaned, some cheered, and others grunted. Some people also gave coins, which others took with a malicious look on their faces.

It was then that the man who had held the cubes noticed Jyashin. Jyashin also noticed from the corner of his eye that the man who brought him in gave a slight smile and a slight crack of his knuckle.

"What d'ya want chump?"

"I need to go to a place called … Kirigakure."

Everybody laughed, the man with the cubes most of all.

"Tell you what. This is a gambling place, so I can't give out information for free. Look, I'll shake these cubes, and if the dots on both of them add up to an odd number, it's a Han, if it is an even number, it is a Chou. If you guess correctly, I'll tell you how to go."

"That's it?"

"Well, if you guess incorrectly, we'll need something of fair value in return. Say…" the man took a look at Jyashin's broken pockets, "10,000 ryou."

Jyashin didn't quite know what money was, and said that he didn't have 10,000 … whatever it was.

"Then we'll have to collect payment in another fashion," the man replied with a slight cackle.

Jyashin didn't get everything completely, but he got the gist of it.

"Look, I don't have 10,000 ryou, but if it is worth something really much, then I have something worth even more." Everybody in the room seemed to sit up a little, extremely curious, as Jyashin rummaged a little pack he carried. Jyashin took a kunai from the pack and laid it on the table.

"Life is worth far more than anything you can imagine."

"Take this little brat down!"

The men lunged forward from all sides, collapsing on top of Jyashin, only Jyashin wasn't there. A log had taken the space where Jyashin just was. In lightning speed, Jyashin took out a thin, but strong, string from his pack and tied the men into a bundle, where they could barely move.

The man with the cubes was shocked. Dropping the cubes, he turned and ran to the exit, only to find Jyashin there. His eyes connected with Jyashin's, when he found himself seemingly falling down a large chasm.

The sky was orange-red, with gray clouds seeming to focus in and out of existence. A large, red moon was hanging in the sky, and the man found himself tied to a post. The boy suddenly appeared.

"In this world, I control space and time. I could keep you here for 72 hours, torturing you to my whim, but I need you alive to tell me how to get to Kirigakure."

The boy began to beat the man, hard. Once, twice, three times. By the fourth, the man was grunting in agony. By the eighth, the man was wincing. By the fifteenth, the man was screaming.

"71 hours, 59 minutes, 59 seconds left."

"That was all for one second?" The man was shocked. He had dealt with shinobi before, but never had he met one so strong. The fact that the boy looked like he was 6 made it even worse.

When Jyashin decided that the man had enough, he stopped, and told him that only 5 seconds had passed. Jyashin then released him from the Tsukuyomi.

The man was panting. He felt like he was on the verge of a mental collapse; the boy was good in determining how much damage he should do. Not wanting to meet further retribution, the man decided to tell everything to the boy, who then proceeded to untie the man's companions. They seemed to want to keep attacking, but the man told them to stop, and let the boy go, even giving 2,000 ryou to prevent further hassles.

"2,000 ryou will get you a long way," the man said, then collapsed onto the floor, dead.

Jyashin arrived at the sea, which was just a vast expanse of blue water. He found an abandoned boat, and decided that he must travel now. Putting all his provisions on the boat, he started to row out to sea. He found it quite annoying; the waves kept sweeping him back to shore, and with no other choice, he used Susanoo to get out to sea. Not wanting to drift back, he kept rowing, until he could no longer see land.

Now that he was no longer near the shore, Jyashin did not need to row, and pretty much drifted along the waves. He tried to keep his bearing the same, but could not and resigned himself to simply drifting. This was a bad mistake, as he no longer knew which direction he was facing. True, he does have a general direction based on the sun, but he could become miles off when he finally lands.

What was even worse was when a heavy storm began to brew. Using a quick calculation, Jyashin knew that he had no chance of escaping. He had to tie himself, as well as all his provisions, to the side of the boat, and hope that he will survive.

Jyashin did not know how he managed to get where he was. He only remembered seeing his boat smothered by the waves on the first impact, and a board hit his head, which made him unconscious. He is now on a large ship, and it is midday. The skies are clear and blue, and a gentle breeze is blowing on a gigantic canvas attached to a large pole on the ship.

"You're awake. It's dangerous to go out on the ocean all alone, you know." Jyashin looked up to see a corpulent, bearded man. "Even experienced sailors such as us have difficulties navigating the sea, and nobody dares to challenge the waves alone on a tiny boat."

"How did I get here?"

"Well, there was a little storm last night. It wasn't bad, so it was nothing for us. But you were on a piece of junk that appeared abandoned. One lesson in life: never trust something left by others. Even a little storm like that splintered your boat. We found you in the morning, drifting on a piece of log. You're really lucky that you were facing upwards, since you were tied to the board."

"Thanks a lot."

"Your welcome. Anyways, where are you heading?"

"I'm going to Kirigakure."

"Well I'll be. That's where we are heading. You see, we are from Sea Country, and each year, we give some payment to Kirigakure so they keep sending ninjas to protect us."

"Why don't you protect yourselves?"

"We are a small country, and have no hidden village of our own. Besides, our country is deeply immersed in commerce and trade. I myself am a merchant – someone who ships goods from one place to another – so that people can use things they can't make. Anyways, you're a nice kid, and pretty brave, so I'll just drop you off at port. It's not a great place, the port, but I have to leave you as I have no room for you in my fleet."

"Thanks."

The port was large. There were ships everywhere, some a little bigger than the boat Jyashin used, while others were large as mansions. Jyashin thanked the merchant, and walked past the sailors unloading crates full of goods.

"What now?" Jyashin asked himself. He finally understood the passage "out of the frying pan, into the fire."

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Endnotes:

Please read and review


	3. First Meetings

**Total Destruction**

Author's Notes:

I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.

This is the end of the Jyashin mini-arc. Next chapter is the set up for the real plot.

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**Chapter 3: First Meetings **

Jyashin realized why his sensei was so desperate, after finally seeing Kirigakure. He had been here three days, and the village disgusted him to the core. There was rampant crime: people stealing every three minutes, shinobi skirmishing in the streets, even a band of outlaws rode into the village and ransacked a store, if you could call it one. The only stores that seemed to be booming either sold heroin or were brothels.

The shops were dilatory and gone to the dogs. Most of the time, people couldn't even get what they wanted, and it wasn't uncommon to see brawls and fistfights in stores where disagreements occur. Jyashin could see other homeless people like him, but they were more abject, as they had to suffer years. Jyashin could swear he saw an eighty-year-old man, so fatigued after years that he had not a single strand of hair, die from starvation, right next to a group of young teenagers eating fries and burgers.

That was in the day; the nights were worse. Since Hidden Mist is close to the ocean, it rains practically every night. The streets were wet and cold and he saw vagrants openly cuddling each other in order to give each other warmth. There were children, even younger than him, who were so starved that he could see their bones. Parents forced their little children to wake up at 2 in the morning to rush into stores and steal whatever they can.

There were a few streetlights, but most of them were broken, or their light bulbs were taken out to be sold. It was under a dim streetlight on his third day in Hidden Mist that he met a young girl who was clearly cold, poor, and hungry. She was playing with and manipulating water, which surprised Jyashin, but a quick look with the sharingan told Jyashin that the girl had a bloodline limit, and was reduced to using it as a play-toy, not able to find any toy.

"You know, that's not exactly how you're supposed to treat your bloodline limit."

The girl didn't even faze, and acted as though Jyashin was not even there.

"I'm not going to hurt you, I only want to help. If you don't do something soon, you're going to either die of starvation, or from the cold."

Still no reaction, though Jyashin could tell she was listening.

"I know a place that is sheltered. It seems like a nice place, and we may even get something to eat. It seems nice, clean, and nobody is around there to steal."

He could clearly see the girl's ear twitch.

"It's not like you have any other choice. You might as well try your luck with me."

"Why are you doing this?" That was the first time she spoke. Jyashin could tell she had a very sweet voice. The girl raised her head to meet Jyashin's, and in the light, Jyashin could tell she was rather pretty, even though she looked wretched.

"I just don't want to see a ninja suffer like a vagrant. Besides, I want to help this village, which was my sensei's dying wish, so I might as well start as soon as possible."

Once the ice was broken, the two of them got along quite well. The girl's name was Kira, and her parents had died long ago. She was abandoned by her parents when they could not support two children, and they cared more for her little brother than her. Her father killed her mother when it was found that her mother possessed a bloodline limit, and her younger brother in turn killed his father. The people blamed the warlike clans for the rundown state of their country, leading to searches of entire villages hunting for clan members.

Though they had their differences, they noticed how similar they were. Both were orphaned, both detested, both wanting to become something greater than what is easy. Jyashin had his sensei as an inspiration, and Kira stated that she would like Jyashin to be her inspiration. The two quickly became friends, and in a bold move, Jyashin stated that he would like them to become brother and sister, which Kira accepted.

"Now, I'll watch out for you, and you'll watch out for me."

"All right," Kira replied.

--

"Pretty nice place," Kira said. Much better than that alleyway."

They were standing on a large building, and to be more precise, they were standing on a kanji for "water". It certainly seemed like nobody dares come here, since the usual night sounds are surprisingly absent from this place. Jyashin had spent the last three days here.

"If you go through the window, there is a room, full of papers. If you shuffle through everything, you'll find some leftover food, quite a lot. But make sure you don't eat too much, or whoever was there will notice, and don't ruin anything either."

They went through the window, and everything was in place just as Jyashin had said. However…

"Hey, did you say the snacks are usually in drawers and not in the open?" Kira asked.

"Crap. They know we're here. Let's bust out of here."

"There's no need to," a voice replied. Jyashin and Kira both turned so suddenly that their necks creaked. "I realized you were here the first day that you came. Nothing wrong, though, in feeding two children who are extremely hungry. And you," he pointed at Jyashin, "seem to be very intelligent, trying to cover up your tracks." _In fact, even some jonin may have been fooled. He is good. I should try to recruit him._

"You shouldn't just try to recruit us," Kira said flatly.

_Crap, did he say that last sentence out loud?_

"No you didn't."

"Ah, I see. How old are you two?"

"We're both 6."

He was shocked. Such power, at only six years of age. _WHY DID I NEVER NOTICE SUCH TALENT BEFORE!?_

"You flatter us."

"How about this, I'll let you live here, and give you two some jobs here as shinobi. I mean, it is better than living on the streets, and I'll help you two get as comfortable as possible; I'll just need you to carry out a few missions, that's all."

Kira was about to object, but Jyashin replied, "Sure."

"Excellent. I spent the last three days preparing a room for you. I'm sure you two can fit inside. I believe you'll find it quite comfortable."

"Thank you," Jyashin and Kira replied together. They bowed, and the man led them to their room.

"I have some work for you to do tomorrow. Please try to wake up early."

"Sure." Jyashin knew that no matter how early they had to get up, it was better than getting almost no sleep. Smiling, the man left.

"Why did you agree?" asked Kira. "He's planning to make us his personal slaves!"

"If we're going to make a change, this will be the best place to start. Yes, this might not be very big, but we might as well start with the baby steps. Who knows, after a while, if the guy likes us, we could move up the ladder, and make bigger changes."

And so, a whole week passed. Jyashin and Kira mostly helped the man move stacks of papers and books, which was not an easy task. For some reason, even though the man did not like it, he always kept bringing more papers in. Ninjas sometimes come in, receive a paper or two, and leave. Other times, Jyashin and Kira themselves would be told to do something, such as clean garbage or help some old man.

This day, nothing spectacular happened. The day was quiet, and for once, it seemed like the man's room was paper free.

"Everything is finished," the man let out a deep sigh. "Ah! How much I longed for a day like this!"

The man seemed quite content to play with Jyashin and Kira. True, they didn't really play anything, mostly just running around trees and looking at clouds for shapes, but the man seemed happy just watching them. When asked what he would like to do, he just said that he wants to see two kids happily playing, something he assured them he has failed to do for his masters.

That night, the man even tucked the two of them to bed. Before sleeping, Jyashin asked the man one last question. "Who are your masters?"

"Why, the common people of course. I live to help them live, or at least I'm supposed to."

Jyashin awoke with a start. Looking at the clock, it was 2 a.m., the dead of night. He looked around; there was nothing that should have awoken him, which made it all the more suspicious. Jyashin sat up into a meditating pose, trying to sense anything that was out of the ordinary.

Five minutes passed. Nothing was wrong. Jyashin was about to get back to sleep when it hit again – harder, stronger, and closer than last time. There was only one thing that gave such an aura, and it reminded him of his escape from Konoha: it was a killing intent. In fact, this intent is extremely strong, augmented by greed, lust, and power-hungriness.

"Kira, wake up."

"What's the matter?" Kira asked half sleepily.

"We're under attack."

"What?!" Kira's sleepiness disappeared at the speed of light.

"It's aimed at the old man. We have to warn him."

They made their way to the old man's room. He was still sleeping soundly, oblivious to everything. Jyashin opened his sharingan, and noticed that no traps were held, and no jutsus were protecting him. It was really odd, as Jyashin always found the man surrounded by protection. Shaking the old man violently, Jyashin finally woke him.

"Oh, it's you. Sorry, but playing time is over, go back to sleep." He turned the other way.

"You're under attack. Somebody is trying to kill you."

The man turned back, an incredulous expression on his face. He was taken aback. Half of him wanted to dismiss the assassination warning as a child's desire for protecting somebody he likes, but another half told him that the kids were no ordinary kids, and he should pay attention to the warning. In the end, his prudent side won, and decided to alert the ANBU.

Just half an hour later, a full-fledged battle resulted. The cries of the fallen could be easily heard outside, but a thick fog prevented any sight, until thick crimson blood splatters on the windows like paint on canvas.

Jyashin, Kira, and the man all joined the fray. Jyashin then realized just how powerful the old man was: nobody seemed to be able to touch him. A large sword suddenly came out of nowhere, and even though the old man blocked the sword, the force was able to make a gash on the old man's left arm.

"I was wondering who would dare assassinate me," the old man said, "and who could actually mobilize such as large force against me. This plan of yours is quite well-executed, I must say… Zabuzza-san."

"It's time for an old geezer like you to step aside, and let somebody more powerful be the Mizukage," a big man said and he nonchalantly picked up the giant sword as though it were a feather.

"Zabuzza, how has Hidden Mist mistreated you? You're one of the Seven Swordsmen."

"I don't find it enough, and I don't find you satisfactory."

"It appears that your assassination attempt has gone awry."

Suddenly, a horde of ninjas appeared, encircling Zabuzza and the Mizukage.

"Give up, Zabuzza, you can't defeat me in a head-on battle, and you are surrounded. And most of your accomplices have been killed by my ANBU."

"Damn it! Abort mission! Everybody get out! Haku! Give us cover!"

The Mizukage did a few hand seals, and a large tidal wave began to emerge out of nowhere. It washed most of the enemy away, who were all promptly captured by the surrounding ninjas. Kira quickly pounced over to the captured ninja, but dejectedly walked back.

"What's the matter? Did you find… whatever you wanted."

Kira shook her head. "At least I know he's got somebody to look after him."

Jyashin didn't press into the matter, nor did he ask about the meaning behind Kira's reply. "Should we chase them?" Jyashin asked the Mizukage.

"A few of them got away, but no matter. I highly doubt that they will be coming back for a while. Anyways, I need to thank you two for alerting me to the danger."

From that day on, Jyashin and Kira became the personal advisors of the Mizukage. Despite their young age, they helped the Mizukage greatly. At first, it was mostly the Mizukage doing everything, with Jyashin and Kira giving a hint here and there. However, as time passed, the Mizukage gave greater authority to the two of them. By the time they were seven years old, the Mizukage was relying heavily on the two of them, and their opinions were greatly valued.

The Mizukage himself caught pneumonia. Despite the advise of medical ninjas, he refused to take time off.

"I am old. What use is there for someone like me to cling to the last strings of life? Death is a natural part of life; we should embrace it, not fear it. An old generation must make room for the new. After all, the days in our life do not matter, but the life in our days."

Three months passed. The Mizukage grew worse in health as days passed. His body was so deteriorated that he had to relent and delegate many tasks to Jyashin and Kira. Jyashin had spent each day distributing propaganda against the hatred of clans. He had undertaken at least 50 A-rank or S-rank missions, dealing blows to the outlaws that "visit" Kiri everyday. Jyashin became known as a local hero, and shop owners even hung posters of his image on their shops to promote business. The mere image of Jyashin was enough to scare even the most hardened criminals.

Jyashin's policies were ruthless. Absolutely no vice was tolerated. Food was distributed evenly among the people. Stealing was punished by cutting off the offender's hand. Jyashin ordered the ANBU to raid every corner of the village, killing "incurable" vagrants and imprisoning prostitutes. All drug addicts were forced to live in the hospital at their own expense, undergoing remedial methods. All dissenters to his policies were to undergo reeducation, save for one.

"Kira, I understand that you don't want to kill. But all rules can only be enforced after much blood has been spilt. I'm not a sadist; I don't _enjoy_ any part of the killing. But society will not die; survival comes first before morals and the like. Individual sacrifices are necessary, but the society as a whole refuses to be sacrificed. Think of Kirigakure as the King in chess, and we merely the pieces protecting it."

Kira seemed pleased enough with this answer, but still went out of her way to avoid killing. She brought every single person alive. Jyashin went out of his way to honor her beliefs.

Jyashin had solved all domestic problems as well, though he had to admit that he could not have done it without his bloodline limit, as well as Kira's help, since she could understand thoughts and unspoken languages with her genjutsus. His most ambitious project that finally solved all problems, however, was the creation of the Seven Clans.

The Mizukage managed to stay alive three more years. He could barely lift his arms during the last month of his life, but he glowed whenever he was around Jyashin. The council was flustered.

"How do we do this? Jyashin is from Konoha, even though he publicly stated that he has deep enmity with the village that abandoned him."

"We cannot let him become Mizukage! Not only is he foreign, he doesn't have any hair below his head! Only adults – people with a score of years – can take such an important position. And we have seen his brutality. He reminds me of the Reign of Terror, when most of our clans were exterminated from the public."

"Perhaps you are afraid that Jyashin will take your positions from you?"

The council turned to the lone member.

"Listen, Jyashin is not somebody who is power-hungry. His methods must be brutal, because nothing less would solve our problems. Plus, we will continue to have power. Jyashin would much rather have a council do all the paperwork and make most decisions. He has told me that he will only step in if things get out of control, out of domestic issues, or out of our power."

"How do you know he is not lying? A crafty fox may not show his true nature until power reaches him."

"Because he has only done beneficial things to us! If it weren't for him, would we have any power at all over this chaotic land? I'm sure you know what Kirigakure was like before Jyashin came."

"Of course, but the…"

"But what? Commoner and shinobi alike are in the streets, clamoring for Jyashin to become the Mizukage. They love him, they worship him, and they will serve him with fanatical devotion. Never in the entire history of Hidden Mist has one man held so much influence such that we could actually become united for a change. I'm sure you would like for our village to prosper, and no longer slink in the shadows."

"And he has conveniently taken this time to disappear off to nowhere."

"Jyashin is a wanderer, not content to stay at one place because of what he went through. Yet still, he maintains such popularity here. If he becomes the Mizukage, nobody will question his authority, and if he wanted, he could order all the shinobi in the Mist, at this very moment, to overthrow this council and instate him as the Mizukage. But he does not. He shows great restraint. Besides, the late Mizukage knows Jyashin intricately, perhaps the best insight we will ever get. It was the late Mizukage's personal wish for Jyashin to succeed him."

"You seem to have stalked those two quite well."

"You remember Koko, the ninja who was assigned the S-rank mission to find out Konoha's secrets? The _only_ member of the Seven Swordsmen who remained loyal to Hidden Mist? Well, Jyashin is the fruit of his labors, and let me tell you this: Jyashin defeated Koko at the age of 5. Koko had come back to Hidden Mist secretly half a year before Jyashin. Koko informed me of the prodigy he saw, and told me to watch over Jyashin, should Koko be unable to do so."

The council was stunned. True, Koko was the weakest of the Seven Swordsmen, being the seventh, but for a child of 5 to defeat Koko was a sure sign of prodigy.

"It's settled then," the leader said, "since we'll keep the status quo and get everybody happy."

In a cave in River country…

"You're probably wondering why you're all here, in your real bodies, and not your astral projections. This meeting is extremely important, and I need your real presence here."

"Is it about Orochimaru?" said a long-haired, blond man wearing a large black cloak with red clouds.

"Yes, but only partly, Deidara. The departure of Orochimaru from Akatsuki is a minor problem, though it does hurt, with him being a Sannin. The major problem is that he took the Void ring, so we cannot replace him."

"We can simply hunt him down. I know he is trying to start a hidden village in Rice Field country," a medium-height child with heavy lines under his eyes said. This child also wore a similar cloak as Deidara. "I can tell he is afraid of me, the way his eyes shiver whenever he so much as notices my presence."

"True, we can simply kill Orochimaru, but that will draw too much attention to us. Remember, we are few in number, and cannot make our presence known. That's why we have these cloaks, hats, and such: we do not want to challenge anybody right now."

"Of course."

"Then that's settled. Now this other matter, I'll let Zetsu explain."

"I was gathering information on the five major shinobi villages, as usual, and this time, I was investigating Kirigakure. Being the weakest of the five hidden villages, I usually don't spend much time there, unless I feel the need to observe one of their many bloody feuds. What surprised me, however, was the lack of internal conflict at that village this time. In fact, even the bandits and outlaws that are synonymous with Kiri have disappeared. After eavesdropping around, I learned that all conflicts have ceased three years ago."

A large man with blue skin and a face that looks half-shark seemed to sit straighter and perk up.

"Yes, Kisame. It appears that Kirigakure has actually found peace. Though I must admit, the last massacre did practically wipe out all the clans. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that they have elected a new Mizukage, which isn't much of a surprise. At first, I assumed the former Mizukage had been assassinated, until I noticed how fanatical the Mist shinobi all seemed. This new Mizukage has united Kirigakure, and judging from the expressions on the people's faces, they all revere him as some sort of god. They even hang his image on their shops! That was when I invited our leader here to inspect the situation with me personally."

"And if I had not found things that even you didn't know, there would be no need for you to so suddenly abandon your mission at finding the whereabouts of Tsunade and Jiraiya. I understand that mission is extremely important, but this is even more of a threat."

"More of a threat than Orochimaru?"

"Yes. I found out the name of this new Mizukage. It may come as a shock, Itachi-san, but he is Uchiha Jyashin, and he possesses the Sea Mangekyo. He evaded your excellent eye because he left Konoha more than four years ago, and his presence was hidden from the Uchiha all his life."

Itachi was silent, as he always was when questioned by the leader.

"This Jyashin, he seems to have similar goals as us, and has already made the first move. I'm sorry, but the seven-tailed Badger has fallen into Jyashin's hands. Which means that starting today, everybody will be divided into groups of two, and assigned specific Jinchuriki to capture. Zetsu and I will continue our original operations, but everybody else will have to capture as many biju as possible. We are one down, but we have far superior ninja than Kirigakure can ever hope."

--

"Well, Kira?"

"Mizukage-sama."

"Please, call me Jyashin. For you, no honorifics will ever be needed. But carry on your report."

"I had followed that Venus flytrap monster you told me was spying on the Mizukage instating ceremony, and I arrived at a cave in River country, where there was a meeting. It appears that the monster's name is Zetsu, and is part of an organization called the Akatsuki. They too, are after the biju, though I highly doubt that they are trying to free them from their rage."

"What makes you say that?"

"You collect the biju so they could find peace and return to the ethereal realm where they came. Akatsuki did not mention its purpose, but since most of them were S-ranked criminals, I gather that they have no benign purposes."

"Do you know any of them?"

"Yes. The leader I don't know, and there is another kunoichi who I don't know. Then, there's Orochimaru, a former Sannin, who recently left the organization. There's Kakazu, who is gargantuan. There's Kisame, a former member of this village who was second in command of the Seven Swordsmen. Next is Zetsu, the half-plant half-human monster who spied on us. Then there's Deidara, and I know nothing about him, other than the fact that he enjoys sitting on large birds. Due to the presence of numerous puppets, the seventh must be Sasori, a missing ninja from Hidden Sand who is the grandson of esteemed puppet-mistress Chiyo. And finally…"

"What?"

"Uchiha Itachi, a 10 year-old prodigy from Konoha who has already become Chunin. Though his skills are only Chunin, he shows great potential. He is son to Fugaku, your father's best friend. He also shows signs of tampering with the Mangekyo Sharingan."

"You may leave."

"Yes." Kira could clearly feel a spiteful aura from Jyashin, and made a mental note to tell everybody not to disturb Jyashin today.

Jyashin wasn't terribly worried about the massacre of the Uchiha. He would have gladly done it himself. What intrigued him was how Kira so easily infiltrated the Akatsuki. 

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Endnotes:

Well, that's chapter 3. Please read and review.


	4. 12 Years Later

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.

Refer to the glossary on Chapter 1 if you can't understand some of the words.

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**Chapter 4: 12 Years Later… **

**Part 1: Sasuke's back! **

"Glad to see that you've decided to come back," a blond-haired, blue-eyed ninja with a loud personality said. "And Sakura, I told you I would bring him back. It was a promise of a lifetime!"

"Thanks, Naruto," Sakura said. She wasn't as overjoyed as she had thought she would be. Sasuke is going back to Konoha, which means that her childhood crush is back. Of course, Sakura is older now, and will not fling herself in Sasuke's arms every time they meet; she saw the folly of her past ways. Perhaps, her annoying attitude only strengthened Sasuke's irritation with Konoha, and had helped him decide to go to Orochimaru.

"Aren't you happy to see Sasuke?"

"Of course," Sakura said, and put on a smile. However, inside of her, she still has doubts about her happiness. It seems that three and a half years without Sasuke made an impact on her, as though she enjoyed a security from a life without Sasuke. If she wasn't so happy about Sasuke…

"What will we do back home?" Sakura asked.

"What?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto, you idiot. Sakura is clearly asking about how I will not be accepted back in Konoha. Everybody will just think that I am a traitor, who nearly endangered the lives of seven people in my attempt to gain power. I may even be rejected from the village. Even Sakura rejects me."

"No! I don't… I don't reject you! I'm just a little…"

"Downcast since you can't decide if you should be happy, even though your spirits are clearly downcast," Sasuke replied, almost mirroring Sakura's exact thoughts.

"Don't worry, Sasuke," a man with white hair and a mask stated. The man's forehead protector, with the Konoha symbol on it, was covering his left eye. "Tenzo and I will talk with Tsunade."

"Kakashi, please don't call me Tenzo. We don't know who is listening, and you have to refer to me as Yamato." This man was about the same height as Kakashi, but with short spiky hair, and the sides of his face were covered by his forehead protector, also with the Konoha symbol.

"Tenzo, hehehe." Naruto said.

"Idiot! Don't make fun of other people's names! Look at your own, Mr. Whirlpool!"

"Sakura-chan!"

"Let's not spend too much time. Kakashi has to get back quickly before he collapses," Sasuke stated.

"Oi, I'm not that weak, and you still can't beat me Sasuke-kun."

"We'll see back at the village," Sasuke replied with a smile.

Despite what he stated to the contrary, Kakashi felt that Sasuke was right. He had used the Mangekyo too much, even though it was far less than what he had done to Deidara back when they were rescuing Gaara.

It was a fine morning, and Kakashi and Tenzo had just completed their missions. They were about to call a break when they were summoned to Tsunade's office. Tsunade appeared very angry.

"That Naruto! I swear I'm going to kill him when he comes back. Right after this mess with Hidan and Kakazu, along with Asuma's funeral, Naruto disappears! And not only him, but Sakura as well! All I found was a statement telling me that they are going to Rice Field country to get Sasuke back, and they brought Sai along too! Kakashi, Tenzo, you two are assigned the mission to bring Naruto, Sakura, and Sai back. Since you could meet with armed resistance, both against those three and any Sound ninjas, this mission will be an S-rank mission. Tenzo, you will go without ANBU attire, and your codename will be Yamato, as last time. Go, now!"

Tsunade had been extremely pissed. Not wanting to be in the way of Tsunade's brute strength, Kakashi and Tenzo had left quickly.

If Tsunade was pissed off when they left, she would have exploded if she saw what happened when Kakashi and Tenzo caught up with Naruto, Sakura, and Sai. Instead of bringing them in, Kakashi and Tenzo joined the three in their quest to get Sasuke back.

Apparently, Jiraiya had tracked Orochimaru down once again to the old abandoned Hidden Sound Village, and having gone there before, Naruto and Sakura knew the way. They also were able to avoid the traps that awaited them inside the mansion. It was too good a chance to miss, as they may never have another bout with Orochimaru without hundreds of ninjas in the fray.

In the fight that ensued, Sakura and Sai were fighting against Kabuto, Naruto was fighting Sasuke, while Kakashi and Tenzo fought Orochimaru. Despite her medical training with Tsunade, Sakura was still no match for Kabuto, who was quite surprised that Sakura attained Tsunade's strength. However, Kabuto had been able to disable Sakura, cutting off the Achilles tendons in both her legs, as well as deal decisively with the animals Sai summoned from his book.

Naruto and Sasuke had fought, and just like three years ago, they had launched themselves into a contest of Rasengan vs. Chidori, only more powerful than ever. Nobody knew, but when the two of them had fought the last time, they really didn't try to kill each other, as Naruto had stopped his Rasengan to scratch Sasuke's forehead protector, and Sasuke stopped his Chidori before it impacted with Naruto. This time though, they had gone their all.

Tenzo was able to trap Orochimaru with his Mokuton abilities, and Kakashi was able to teleport Orochimaru's arms away. Raikiri had missed Orochimaru by inches, but was able to deal enough damage to Orochimaru, who unleashed jutsu after jutsu, the result of 40 years of jutsu collecting.

However, the damage was felt when Orochimaru got too close to Sakura, who landed a critical hit on Orochimaru. But by that time, it was clear that the leaf ninjas were done. Orochimaru was critically injured, but Sasuke and Kabuto, though nearly depleted, could have easily killed the five leaf ninjas.

"Game over!" Orochimaru cried triumphantly in his coarse voice. "Kabuto, Sasuke! Kill them now!"

Naruto had closed his eyes. "I tried my hardest, Sakura." However, nothing happened.

"What are you doing!" Orochimaru cried desperately, realizing what Sasuke and Kabuto had in mind. "Kill them now!"

"Why?" Sasuke asked. "What have you ever done to earn my favor?"

"What have I done?" Orochimaru grinned evilly. "I gave you power. The power to destroy these people, your teammates, your sensei! You have become more powerful than what you would have been with them!"

"But they are not my target," Sasuke replied coolly. "My target is Itachi, and you have brought me no closer to killing him. Instead, you want me to kill the only people I ever considered my friends. I was a fool to believe I could defeat my brother when you cower like a snail at the mention of Itachi's name!" Sasuke spat.

"Kabuto. You must… help me."

"I must say you have poorly repaid my devotion to you. Look at you! You look pathetic! I am ashamed to work for you! You've done nothing but mistreat me, and treat my devotion with contempt. Yet now you ask me for help? You must have changed your mind with that of a rat!"

And so, when Orochimaru was weakest and needed help the most, Kabuto and Sasuke turned on him. Despite all the jutsus Orochimaru knew, he could not even raise his arms to defend himself from a simple slash.

Kabuto quickly healed both Sakura and Sai. He plans on becoming the next Otokage, and will treat his subjects better than Orochimaru. Sasuke decided to come back, only after Tenzo and Kakashi promised him that he will get stronger, and training under close supervision without malice is better than what he got from Orochimaru.

And now, the six of them were on their way back to Konoha. The initial exhilaration from the fight had disappeared, and a gloom settled when they realized the task they had to accomplish when they arrived.

"We'll manage, Sasuke," Naruto said. "Somehow."

--

Tsunade is at a loss for words. She didn't know if she should reprimand, congratulate, or act neutral. Here he is, after nearly four years, a slender boy with sleek black hair, wearing traditional Sound ninja attire, and the Sword of Kusanagi at his side.

On the one hand, everybody carried out insubordination; on the other hand, Sasuke was back, Orochimaru was dead, and the threat of another Sound attack is virtually gone.

"Just this once, _just this once_, I congratulate all five of you on a mission complete."

"What about me?" Sasuke asked. "Are you going to make me go away, or what?"

"Hmmm, good question. Personally, I believe that your old group of friends may accept you back readily, though they will understand that you were a traitor. The adults, however, will be tougher to deal with. Generally, the old are cantankerous and snobbish, and won't forget things that quickly, _even if it is out of anybody's control._" Tsunade said the last sentence with a scowl on her face.

Everybody knew what she was talking about. Despite all that Naruto has done, many people still call him the Demon Fox, the prankster, etc. behind his back. Hyuga Neji himself informed Tsunade that in one day, he heard the words "Demon Fox" no less than 77 times. Tsunade had been so angered as to actually demand the council to ban the words "demon" and "fox" from the village under pang of death. The scene she caused would have actually been funny if the situation wasn't so grave.

"Anyways, I will try to get you accepted back into the village. There shouldn't be too much trouble, as the village does not want the Uchiha clan to disappear and they should be thankful you have returned, unlike…"

Tsunade stopped short. Any mention of that name may cause Sasuke to revert back.

"…the…way…how…they used to treat others." Tsunade had saved herself at the last moment using Naruto, though Kakashi and Tenzo were able to catch Tsunade's slight pauses. All three adults breathed a sigh of relief, and Tsunade continued.

"I believe your old apartment is still unoccupied, and you can remain there. A few changes have happened in the 4 years you were gone, so I think a week will be enough for you to get used to everything here. Your friends have changed as much as you have."

"They are _not_ my friends."

Once outside of Tsunade's office, Naruto and Sakura took the time to introduce Sasuke to the new village. Sasuke met his old "friends", though he didn't interact much back then, and he still doesn't. Teams 7, 8 10, and 12 gathered together, and even though everybody tried as hard as they can to act as though nothing happened, there was a hint of bitterness.

Sasuke didn't blame them. He would do the same if it was him.

Naruto and Sakura realized that some time would be needed. They then went on a tour of the village, as well as pay their respects to the tomb of Asuma. Sasuke was most surprised that Hidan and Kakazu were brought down by Shikamaru and Naruto.

"Infinity is only God's illusion," Sasuke whispered.

"No. Hidan's still alive. His head is buried under my family's forest. As long as we're around, we'll make sure he never comes out, nor finds his body."

"And Kakazu wasn't all that bad. My new Rasengan was able to destroy all the hearts he carried on his back. Besides," Naruto put his arms behind his head and stretched hard, "It was Kakashi who got the finishing blow."

**Part 2: The Hunt **

At a clearing in River Country

"Well, well, well, our meetings are becoming quite frequent aren't they? As you all may know, Orochimaru has been killed, and his former subordinate Kabuto has taken over as leader of the Hidden Sound village. Apparently taking over a body as powerful as Kabuto's isn't very effective. Anyways, Sasori had told us that Kabuto had a block on him, but given that a fight had taken place when the Kyubi and Shodai's legacy met him, there is no reason to believe that Kabuto will be loyal to us. Moreover, Orochimaru has lost the sharingan back to Konoha."

"All that is left is the Kyubi," Zetsu said excitedly.

--

It happened a couple months ago. A girl about 20 years old had been dragged into the room. She was the last Jinchuriki Akatsuki could get its hands on. She was wearing the headband of Kumogakure. She was kicking and screaming, fighting desperately to get out of Zetsu's grasp. One time, she kicked Zetsu's Venus Fly Trap crown. Zetsu hated having his crown kicked.

Zetsu took a bite of Yugito's arm, ripping out her bicep. Yugito let out a scream that broke a nearby bottle.

"I've never tasted female flesh before. I must say, it is most delicious. Now, you'll be a good little girl, or I'll eat you to death." When Yugito continued to struggle, Zetsu took a bite of her right breast."

"Zetsu, we'll extract the demon first, then you can devour the body."

"But leader, she won't scream in agony then. This is my perfect lunch you're taking."

"And this is my perfect demon you're weakening. I won't tolerate any more."

Yugito was chained onto a giant statue. Hidan performed the rites, not just for the ritual to work, but also because it was so similar to the Jyashin cult's ritual of what to do when an enemy is caught. Stakes were driven into Yagura's abdomen, and she began to bleed and scream profusely.

"Let the power of the Nibi arise, and feed thy soul O great deities."

An apparition of a large cat with two tails appeared above Yagura. It screeched, opening its mouth wide as though trying to swallow the nine Akatsuki members alive. It was truly an impressive sight, as a blazing fireball was let out of the mouth and sped toward the Akatsuki. Though only an apparition, one could feel heat and intensity simply by watching the fireball.

However, a magical barrier seemed to be in place, as the fireball appeared to collide with an invisible wall.

The nine members gathered in a large circle around the giant statue. Each person took off a ring that they wore on their finger, made some hand signs, and pressed their palms on the seal surrounding Yagura. The seal intensified, as a black circle could be easily seen on the ground.

-

"Yes, Zetsu. Fond as you are of devouring female flesh, that is the least of our worries. Itachi, you should have killed Naruto when you had the chance. I never thought I'd see the day, but Kakazu has been killed. Naruto was the culprit. Though Hidan is still alive, he is of no use to us. Even if he manages to chew himself out from the ground, his body has been destroyed. What's worse, Konoha has taken their rings."

"But there are no more Jinchuriki left," Zetsu replied. "And they were of use…"

"No more Jinchuriki alive?" the leader's voice hissed, his voice becoming evil incarnate.

"I'm… I'm sorry, sir. I forgot myself."

"Our operation on the Kyubi will take 3 months now, if we even manage to catch him. Nothing short of an invasion is necessary to stop him. We will need more allies than those wandering ninjas we recruit all the time."

--

A man wearing a large, black cloak was traveling in the Northern Mountains in Earth country. He wasn't extremely intimidating – a little over five and a half foot tall, no bulging muscles, and hunched over as though bearing a terrible albatross – but he appeared quite insidious. The way he moved, the way his breath became water in the cold, and the way he appeared gave every sign of a fiend.

At the base of the next mountain, the man stopped. In front of him was a large tiger, composed completely of light-brown wood. Behind the massive beast lay five tails, prone on the ground. Though dormant, one would be a fool to tickle this cat.

The man lowered his hood, to reveal a face. Though still young, the signs of adulthood and stress were shown clearly on this man. Though appearing quite healthy, the grave look, the redness of the face, and the tough skin clearly meant that this person was full of experience, full of power, and full of responsibility. He was Jyashin, the current Mizukage of the Hidden Village of the Mist.

Jyashin had a black band covering his eyes, which he removed. When he opened his eyes, it was clear that his eyes were no ordinary eyes. Red in the background, with a thick ring around the pupil. It was the Sea Mangekyo Sharingan, the bloodline limit of the Uchiha clan.

Jyashin pulled out a shuriken, and levitated it above his palm. Then, he did two hand signs, and the shuriken multiplied into large masses, as thick as swarms of locusts in a plague. The shuriken flew toward the Tiger, and made such a large impact that quite a few trees in the vicinity collapsed. Crows suddenly flew into the sky, cawing loudly. The tiger seemed to come to life suddenly, and began to shriek, both from rage and from pain. Yes, though the Tiger appeared quite durable, the shurikens had implanted deep into the monster's face.

"Mighty tiger! Let your rage flow into your body! I, Uchiha Jyashin, the Mizukage, challenge you to a duel, with you being my servant should you lose!"

This only agitated the beast more. And finally, it began to move. Being a biju, it possessed monstrous strength, and Jyashin had to move extremely quickly. A large black flame, followed by a swift taijutsu, was unleashed on the Five Tailed Tiger.

The Tiger retaliated by large gusts of compressed air, intermixed with immense chakra. The full power of the Five Tails was upon the man.

"You may be powerful, but you cannot overcome my natural abilities!"

Snake, Dragon, Ox, Tiger, Snake. Five hand seals performed in fluid rapidity. Two large seals, each with strange characters written on the rims, appeared. One appeared from the sky, one from the earth. Both were spinning slowly. They met each other in midair, and the spinning increased. The combined seal suddenly hit the ground with an extremely large force, sending ample amounts of snow into the air.

In fact, an avalanche was started, as the force loosened up the snow. More snow was sent into the air, and the air was thick with snow, so much that a person could not see his own hand, even if he held his hand inches from his face. However, the seal seemed to protect the man and beast, as everything was clear inside.

"The full power of the Orichalcum is upon me! You have no chance now!"

--

"Mighty Tiger, you have been a worthy opponent. Had you any experience among the humans, I would have no chance of victory."

"Why do you keep me alive?" The tiger asked in a low, booming voice. "I have lost an honorable battle. Yet you make no commotion, you treat me with respect. You are unlike the other humans I have dealt with."

"I defeat you, you defeat me, what good can come over that? One must defeat oneself, then one can find true happiness, and one's dreams can come true. Why should we succumb to worldly pressures, or the opinions of others? What good comes from doing what others want? If one truly wishes to become great, one must do what oneself wishes."

"I wish to return to my home, but I have been banished. How can that fate be reversed? I am doomed to roam this world for all eternity, to haunt the humans who dominate this world. Death and rebirth, an endless cycle that I am bound to, is my destiny. I am an incarnation of wood."

"Strive for what you want, even if it costs you your life, and you will have a life with purpose. Your mindless destruction, your brute strength, your great power, all of those have been misused to the point where you have become a mere tool, vied by the humans who dominate."

The Tiger closed its giant eyes, and let out spasms of breath. Though it bore the unmistakable signs of pain, his breath gradually began to soften and turn periodic. Its face began to change to one bearing peaceful sleep. Its form began to disintegrate. Finally, the wood all fell off of the tiger, revealing nothing more than wisps of chakra.

"May you have peace, in your home in the ethereal realm."

"Thank you, Uchiha Jyashin. Should you ever need my help, I will come to your aid."

"Thank you, Mighty Tiger." Jyashin could have made the Tiger obey every one of his commands, as well as the commands of his successors, but that is too much power. No man should ever have such power. No matter how much control he thinks, no matter how many vows he swore, the lure of power is greater than any man could overcome.

--

A woman was standing on a precipice, overlooking the recently transformed Kirigakure. _How much it has changed in ten years! _She mused. Once synonymous with the very words of "crime", "poverty", and "unrest", Kirigakure has now become the epitome of order and peace.

This woman was holding a picture in her hand. The picture had two people on it, perhaps the only one of them in existence. One was a large man with bandages wrapped around his lower face. He had short black hair, and was carrying a humongous sword that would have weighed over a hundred pounds.

The other person looked remarkably like this woman. However, it was her brother at age 15. He was fanatically devoted to the adult, sacrificing his life in the process to save his master. But what good came out of that? The Swordsman still perished in the battle at the hands of Kakashi.

Two ninjas appeared next to the woman.

"Kira-san. The council demands…"

"Ahem," his companion cleared his throat.

"Uh, _requests_ your immediate presence."

"What is it?" Kira asked irritably as she followed the two. They arrived at a large building with a water kanji on top of it. Kira briefly remembered sitting on that very sign 12 years ago, attempting to sneak inside. Now she simply walks in through the front door, up a set of stairs, and into a dangy old room where the 12 members of the Kirigakure Council sat.

"We are terribly sorry to disturb your solitude." Unfortunately, the man sounded anything _but_ sorry.

"My entire existence is to serve Kirigakure, and its council."

"Very well then, we have a mission for you ... and you alone. A band of Cloud ninja were spotted crossing the border at Cape Landers, in the Northeast quadrant of Water Country. No word was heard from Hidden Cloud, and the ninjas have been reported to settle as ordinary peasants. Their transformations and their daily activities have been documented." He dropped a large folder containing said information, as well as the mission details.

"And why couldn't the Seven Clans handle this?"

"We wouldn't dare risk any bold moves, not without the Mizukage here. We don't have any _permission_."

"Do you doubt Jyashin-sama's authority?"

"Never in my dreams. But we really cannot afford to do anything related to foreign relations without our dear Mizukage here. The council's power is limited to internal affairs, though anything drastic is left to the Mizukage."

"You do realize your entire existence is to aid the Mizukage, right?" Kira replied with a hint of anger in her voice. "You have the power to assign missions, and pretty much have full autonomy in the little details, which, though small, are nevertheless vital to Hidden Mist's survival. In short, yes, you are to do the dirty work, as you may call it. I'll observe these ninjas, and I report back to the ruling party when I finish _with all deliberate speed_. Good day."

With that, Kira took the papers lying in front of her, and left the room briskly. When she was gone, the council member murmured "I hate her uncanny ability to understand people so completely."

Kira realized what was going on. There always was a certain friction between Jyashin and his council. Power is extremely luring, and the council, which had once dangled the Mizukage like a puppet, suddenly faced a strong, assertive leader. They would never deny that Jyashin has been a great asset to the Mist; even his most ardent opponents dare not remove him from office. However, they still have a grudge against what they deem as an unfair power balance.

However, despite her loyalty to Jyashin, whom she treats as her own brother, she has had doubts about him many times. At first, she was glad that they might have a good life together, making Kiragakure a prosperous village and they may perhaps even get married … NO, she can't think such thoughts! She is not worthy of Jyashin-sama's attention!

Kira rapidly gained speed, hoping the excess energy would take her mind off such impure thoughts. It worked … about five minutes later.

Anyways, Kira mused, Jyashin seemed like a dream come true, until he reached the age of 14. It was then that the news of the massacre of the Uchiha Clan reached his ears, despite Kira's attempts to cover it up. But then, how could she? Jyashin is a wanderer, and sooner or later, he would have found out. But in her folly, Kira tried to delay the inevitable. Perhaps that fact increased Jyashin's anger, so much that he actually used Tsukuyomi on Kira, torturing her for the full 72 hours. Kira had to stay in the hospital for three weeks, but Jyashin did visit her and say that he was sorry. Had it not been for Kira's natural talents in mind-related jutsu, she would have died before Jyashin finished the second hour. However, after that day, Jyashin changed drastically, and was never again cheerful.

Even though Jyashin claimed that he hated the Uchiha Clan with all his might, and vows to kill them all, he was deeply concerned when it became a reality.

Kira reached the place in no time. The place was inconspicuous, and had it not been for the Mist's excellent system of surveillance, Cape Landers would probably be deserted. After all, the place looked more like a beach resort than a strategic place for enemies to come in. Looking at the mission descriptions, Kira began her mission.

--

Jun was finished with today's tasks. He hated this particular job he was assigned. Of all things, he had to be a garbage man. Jun was sure that Ryo was behind all of this. They were enemies from the moment they met, but Ryo was in a position of power. While Ryo was the superintendent of all covert missions, Jun was stuck as the dirty-work man, doing all the bad things that Hidden Cloud wanted, and getting all the blame and retributions if Kumo was ever caught.

However, Jun succeeded in one thing: he had rallied all the dirty-workers together and claimed that this mission was too large and important to be handled by scum like them, and so, everybody up to the superintendent himself – Ryo – had to come to Kirigakure and infiltrate the village. Jun laughs whenever he remembered Ryo's face as he read some of the bogus excuses Jun wrote. "This mission is of such a vital importance that the immediate presence of all ninja of equal caliber must participate" and "scumbags and superintendents alike are bound by the duty to assist the country, and to each other" made Ryo's face light up like a flame.

This was all part of the massive project of the Alliance, the alliance between Cloud and Rock that is. The recent alliance of Leaf and Sand upset the power balance, and can go unchallenged. Iwa and Kumo, to counter this threat, decided to ally as well. However, as always, the Mist opted to stay out of such meddlesome situations, and the Raikage decided that it was time to annex Kirigakure.

Not only would this increase the Alliance's power against Konoha and Suna, but in case the Alliance breaks down, Hidden Cloud would have an edge over Hidden Rock.

As Jun was walking home, he had to pass a large festival. Jun decided to crash in, hoping the festivities will erase his stress. He partook in a couple games, watched a couple of Kabuki plays, and even bought a couple of souvenirs. Soon, Jun was engrossed in fun, and didn't even notice that a stranger had bumped into him, nor the strange angle at which he was bumped, nor the abnormally confused state of his mind.

As Jun finished the festivities, and had to report to headquarters that night, a woman was smiling. She had put a tracking device on the idiot, and covered it with a simple genjutsu so nobody could see it. Kira was ready to see just what this " Alliance" was all about.

-

Jun walked into the room. It was dark, and cramped, and there were 40 people in there. Everybody turned to look at him, each brandishing a kunai and seeming on the verge of killing Jun. However, they instead relaxed, and turned back to their businesses. All but one.

As quick as lightning, Ryo was on top of Jun. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!!!!" Ryo demanded.

Ryo was about to strike Jun's neck with his kunai. Everybody was shocked, Jun especially. Surely that photograph of Ryo half naked in the shower didn't reach anybody? That was only a joke, Jun never intended for his blackmail threat to be real.

"Ryo! Stop it! Okay, it was me! I didn't mean it, and I really hated that unfair promotion, but nothing major! Really!"

However, Ryo didn't stop. "Everybody, SCRAM!" Ryo was not the superintendent for nothing. The other hooligans did not realize it, but Ryo realized that Jun was tracked.

A large explosion rocked the building. Jun was relieved, _he was saved_. However, his relief suddenly turned to shock. A woman was standing in the room, and had the Mist forehead protector on her right arm. Moreover, she was holding the head of Ryo, which she had cut off in less than a second.

The room went into panic mode, as everybody got ready for a fight. However, no sooner had the quick ones stood up, that they fell down, lifeless.

Now, everybody was REALLY panicking. In their confusion, Kira had no trouble killing them. In less than 30 seconds, Jun was the only person in the room, still not recovering from Kira's sudden appearance. Kira walked toward Jun, and put her hands on his head. Quickly, she had Jun under duress, and had access to all his thoughts.

Kira was stood in a dark alleyway. Images flashed by her, as though on invisible screens. She would pause to take a look at a few pictures, but most went zooming by without her caring. There were also words floating around, and Kira brushed them away whenever they would appear.

Ten minutes later, Kira had everything she needed. Jun was fatigued from his mind being attacked, and Kira realized that she was dealing with a simpleton. She shouldn't have gone too hard on this group, but it was her mission, and she had to do it, especially since Jyashin was not here. Kira put a kunai to Jun's heart, ending his pain.

"Well," Kira said, "it looks like the hunt is on." 

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Endnotes:

Please read and review


	5. Open War

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.

Refer to the glossary on Chapter 1 if you can't understand some of the words.

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**Chapter 5: Open War **

"Tsunade-sama!" a woman wearing a dark kimono shouted as she barged into the Hokage's office.

"What is it Shizune?"

"A sudden war has broken out between Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud!"

"And? Wars break out all the time, this doesn't concern us."

"But Tsunade-sama, this is different. If it was simply a little skirmish, then there would be nothing to worry about. However, our informants around the area have been 100 percent in their assessments."

"Carry on," Tsunade said boringly.

"For the last two weeks, tensions have been rising between Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud. Even though there was nothing going on between the two on the surface, one could sense that something was brewing underground. One could smell it in the air, according to some of our informants. The conflict came to a clash when 41 people were massacred in a small enclave at the outskirts of one of the cities. They were spies, evidently, but Hidden Cloud refused to acknowledge that fact, and declared war on Hidden Mist immediately."

"Things like this happen all the time, Shizune." Tsunade turned back to her desk. "Wars from disagreements like this always happen. Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud have always brawled over land disputes."

"It gets even better. Apparently, Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock have become allies, most likely to counter our alliance with Hidden Sand."

Tsunade suddenly turned around, ears perked up.

"According to some inside information at Kumo, it appears that the Raikage long had intentions of annexing Hidden Mist, both to strengthen their alliance against us and in case war breaks out between Cloud and Rock. It also appears Hidden Mist has realized this, and they have been prepared. Yesterday, Kiri launched a full-out attack on Kumo."

Tsunade was stunned. "Get Shikamaru here now! And these people too!" Tsunade added the last part almost like an afterthought, as she handed to Shizune the piece of paper she was poring over before Shizune entered.

The Hokage's office was suddenly crowded with the additional presence of 15 people. They were the Rookie Nine, plus Team Gai. Apparently, they were getting their first official jonin-level mission. Shizune addressed everybody about what she has learned, leaving everybody in silence when she was done.

"I will now explain the mission details," Tsunade continued. "This sudden war between Hidden Mist, Cloud, and Rock is normally beyond the scope of our affairs, but I want to know the answers to a few questions. First, why was the Mist prepared for such a war the whole time? Second, why is the Mist suddenly so bold, as to openly challenge the twin powers of Iwa and Kumo? Third, who is this new Mizukage instated 12 years ago? He never seems to be in Hidden Mist at all, and his movements are so carefully hidden that even night himself won't be able to discern. Fourth, what occurred at the scene of the massacre of 41 people, all of whom were spies? And finally, how was Kiri able to find out about those spies? From our informants, their actions were so _normal_ that it was almost _impossible_ to find them out. Any questions?"

"No, sir!" Everybody stated in unison.

"Then go immediately. I want you there by two days."

"Yes, sir!"

After everybody left, Shizune turned to Tsunade. "Are you sure they are up to the task?"

"Several of our teams have always been wandering around Kirigakure. Yet they have never known Kirigakure to be prepared in any way to a sudden attack. The latest news I got was that Hidden Mist seemed to go even more reclusive, relieving themselves from all activities with the mainland."

"They are our most promising future, but do you really think they can find out what even our Jonin teams cannot?"

"Have we a better option?" Tsunade sighed. "If only I had provided more finances to our spies in Hidden Mist. I grew complacent." Tsunade slammed her hand on her desk. "I was a fool to believe things never change!"

"What's past is past. We can do nothing about it. We can only salvage what we can, and avoid it again in the future."

"Sometimes, there is no second chance. Hidden Mist fell because of one mistake. There's no going back. Leave me be." When Shizune left, Tsunade pondered alone. _Was it wise to give these kids such a tough mission? Sure, they're tough, but are they tough enough? And let's see how well Sasuke does. _

--

The group traveled at top speed toward Kirigakure. According to Shikamaru, this is a mission where many parameters are unknown, and the specs for the mission are extremely muddy. In order to get the most information, Shikamaru suggested visiting the little enclave first. Shikamaru said that this was the easiest place to start, because they may actually have concrete evidence.

When they arrived at the enclave, Shikamaru told Kiba and Shino to scout the vicinity. With their great tracking abilities, they could practically pick up anything. Neji and Hinata, with their Byakugans, are to scour the inside of the enclave.

As for everybody else, they simply had to sort through the papers that littered the area. One thing was clear: whatever happened, there was a very large explosion that had rocked the entire building, sending all the papers to the floor. It took half an hour just to pick everything up.

Then, the tedious task of reading began. Naruto despised reading because it reminded him of homework, and the fact that all the documents seemed to deal with trite and bureaucratic affairs made it even worse.

"What the hell! This stuff sucks! Seriously, I want some more excitement, not stuff like this!"

"Be quiet Naruto," Shikamaru stated. "You don't want that wish to come true."

"But still" Naruto whined in an almost feline way, "I don't want to know how they plan on living like no-life peasants!"

"You be quiet and get back to work! Geez, how troublesome. I should have … Wait!" Shikamaru started. "You said that they were talking about their lives?"

"Yeah, talking about things like when to go to work, schedules of daily happenings, what to do when this happens, that happens, yadda yadda yadda…" Naruto said in a bored way.

"Give me that!" Shikamaru practically shouted. Naruto had picked up virtual treasure.

Perusing through the papers, Shikamaru discovered that the papers contained instructions on how the members were supposed to act. They were so detailed as to actually describe even how they were to answer to common inquiries. In fact, they even specified when to get up and brush their teeth.

Everything was perfect. The instructions were designed to bring as little attention to the spies as possible, but gave the members enough self-sufficiency to last for quite some time, without any funds. They could simply live for years on their jobs, in an endless perpetual cycle of repeating their activities.

"This is just what we need," Shikamaru stated. Everybody gathered around.

"From the information here, the 41 people were assigned menial tasks to do just to blend in with their environments. They were not good at what they do, but they weren't bad. On good days, they must hide any excess things, and restrict themselves, while on bad days, they are to use the excesses they stored and to work hard. In effect, they always stayed in a state of mediocrity, drawing absolutely no attention to them. Moreover, they are forbidden to have any friends, always staying away from social activities and abstaining from coffee breaks and the like. In time, even their employers would forget they even have such a person under their employ. And they could do this for years, even decades, until the time Kumo attacks."

"It's perfect," Naruto said. "But still, they were caught. I wonder how."

"Yes," Shikamaru stated, clearly distraught. "I had thought of two possibilities. One, a person had broken down under such a rigid manual, and Hidden Mist was able to track them all down. However, the problem with that fact is that these ninja had extensive preparation. From the way they prepared, we can identify these 41 people as no mere amateurs, but as infiltrators with many years worth of experience under their belt. They would not mind such a severe restriction, at least not in less than a month."

"Yes, and Neji-san and I have checked the surroundings. The enclave blends in perfectly, a feat only an expert can perform."

"Which brings me to the second option, of which I believe is highly plausible. Hidden Mist has an excellent anti-spying system, and these spies were busted the second they set foot on Mist soil. Kirigakure was able to track these men down, and when enough data was gathered…"

"They busted this place down," Sakura nodded in agreement. "But that also means that we…"

"Are being watched this very second," Shikamaru answered for her. "So we need to be careful, and watch our backs. Neji, Hinata, I want you two to alternate with the activation of the Byakugan, so that at any given time, we always have a 360 degree vision."

"Yes."

"No, that's just stupid," Naruto stated flatly. "For brains like yours, I'm surprised, Shikamaru."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, IDIOT!" Sakura practically shouted.

"Look, if extremely experienced trackers were found on the first day they were here, then there is no chance that we haven't been found. Those people were tracked for weeks before they were finally killed, but at that time, Hidden Mist was preparing for war, right? But now that they are in it, they fight on too many fronts alone. They can't take on all four other hidden villages at the same time, because if we're killed, Konoha goes to war, and Konoha's ally Suna will too. Right?"

"That still doesn't account for the fact that we may simply die in a freak accident of which there is no explanation," Sasuke said. "And if our deaths are known, it doesn't appear good on Konoha's record if we were found deep in Mist territory, in the middle of a war."

"But so what! Konoha hasn't had a breakdown on intelligence since God knows when. Konoha wouldn't give a damn about saving face at this point, it will just look for any fake excuse to start a war."

"You both have a point," Shikamaru said. Boy, he sure hadn't had surprises like these before. Sure, he lost a couple games of Go and chess to Temari, but it has been a long time that somebody was able to point out something he hadn't seen before. Training under Legendary Sannin does have its advantages. "We won't need to be that cautious, but we cannot be that relaxed. Moreover, without the Byakugan activated, we'll have two stronger foes the enemy must deal with. Call Kiba and Shino back…."

"HEY GUYS!" It appeared as though the voice was projected through ten megaphones. "LOOK WHAT I FOUND!"

"So much for hiding," Naruto said, "Nobody will miss that loudmouth's voice."

--

Kiba had Akamaru prowl around the vicinity, while Kiba carefully observed the walls of the enclave. Akamaru was no longer the little puppy that could ride on Kiba's head, but rather a large canine who could carry Kiba on his back. However, Akamaru still had an agility that allowed him to fit in small cracks. Kiba had trained Akamaru well, and their teamwork is better than ever before.

Unfortunately, it appeared that Kiba's training wasn't perfect. He still couldn't get used to Akamaru's rapid growth spurt, and as a result, had sent Akamaru to a rather shaky place. Being so heavy now, Akamaru had fallen straight into a hole.

"Shino! Get over here and help me pull Akamaru up!"

Shino gave a great look of disturbance, but then called back hundreds of bugs, which entered the large poncho he was wearing. If you weren't acquainted with Shino, this large, eerie bug-user with a hooded raincoat and dark sunglasses would pass as the stereotypical drug-dealer.

The two of them tried very hard, and Akamaru used his hind legs to push himself up the loose soil. They were about done when Akamaru suddenly lost his balance and caused all three of them to fall into the ditch.

"Damn. This is so….."

"Kiba, look at this," Shino stated calmly, almost apathetically.

Akamaru had lost his balance because there was a tunnel on the side of the wall. It had been carefully concealed, and there was a faint trail of somebody crawling through the tunnel.

-----------------

"Nice work, Kiba, Shino, Akamaru," Shikamaru congratulated, but his voice was still a little high from seeing the three of them covered in quagmire. Evidently, there was water mixed with the soil, which refused to be removed without a fight.

"So what jutsu is this?" Sasuke asked.

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked.

"This tunnel is clearly made by the intruder who killed those 41 people. And since we found not a trace of mud in the enclave, this water jutsu was clearly made after the person left. Not only does it hide the tunnel nicely, and eventually cause it to cave in, but it also hides his smell."

"Wait a minute Sasuke, you're ahead of me." _Wow, somebody actually ahead of me._ "How do you know it was only one person, and how do you know he didn't wash himself off when he got out?"

"Because the killing jutsu left some marks on the walls, and it was all one exact same style and texture. It's true that a jutsu can be used by two people at the same time, but their forms are intermixed. It is impossible, and unnecessary, to control the jutsu just right so that a uniform style is developed. This must be the working of one person. Second, why would somebody dig a tunnel into a muddy ditch, rather than flat soil? To eliminate a group of extremely experienced ninjas would require absolute precision, and nobody can spare the time to wash himself."

Shikamaru was amazed. Naruto and Sasuke both had really grown and matured. He might actually start to like these guys. He also grew afraid. Shikamaru understand the textures and forms of performing jutsus, but to notice them quickly and alone requires profound skill and experience.

"Well, let's just follow the tunnel," Kiba exclaimed.

The tunnel was extremely small, but it was mostly because so much of it was caved in. Had they arrived a few days later, the tunnel would have been impassable, and observers would probably state that it was made by a mole or something.

It wasn't a particularly long tunnel, but it did take an entire minute to traverse all the way to the other side.

"So," Shikamaru took out the mission layout like a checklist. "We have answered the last two questions. It seems Mist has a very powerful ninja. But now, onto the first three. It would be best for us to gauge Kiri's strength, and the best way to do so is to see how well they do on the battlefield."

So began the long walk toward Mariana Island, the scene of many clashes between Kiri, Kumo, and Iwa. It wasn't really that the place was far; in fact, it was probably only 20 miles out from Cape Landers. They got there before the sun set.

If one were to look at the island, one would wonder just what is so special about this place that would cause it to be the site of so many skirmishes. In fact, only one battle had taken place that was outside the vicinity, a little skirmish that attempted to delay the Iwa troops from reaching the island. For no reason other than being the point of closest contact with all three Hidden Village, Mariana Island had become the focus of all three villages. And none of the villages want to get away, preferring to crush the enemy at a concentrated area rather than spread out their flanks scores of miles.

In the center of Mariana Island is a large plain, perhaps a hundred square kilometers. This plain is named the Plains of Golgotha. For some reason, it had yet to be touched, but when the 12 Konoha ninjas arrived, the threat of imminent destruction was almost tangible.

Everybody was now on the open lookout. They realized that this is a real battle zone, where clashes and fights are bound to happen. Lawlessness is also prevalent, as martial law is in place. Even local bandits can take advantage of the sudden breakout to pillage villages and homes.

Shikamaru had last heard of a little battle that occurred in the woods to the East of Golgotha. The battle took place a day earlier, according to sources that Shikamaru met. The entire group had been clueless the moment they set foot on Mariana; they knew of no place to begin. Therefore, they would follow even the slightest hints, no matter how unbelievable they are.

"Well, well, well, would you look at that," Kiba murmured.

In front of them lay the corpses of 12 Cloud ninjas, their bodies hacked to shreds. Shikamaru couldn't help but notice how clean their wounds were. Despite the apparent carnage, the attackers had done their job quickly and efficiently; there were no unnecessary cuts or bruises. In fact, the cuts seemed almost surgical, but with blades that were as sharp and hard as diamond.

"Neji, Hinata" Shikamaru said, "Come and take a look. Can you tell me the cause of death?"

Neji and Hinata both looked intently, with their Byakugans fully activated. After a couple of minutes, Neji shook his head.

"Whatever jutsu was utilized, it sure didn't disrupt any chakra networks."

"And the injuries seemed to be done by brute force, no elemental attacks whatsoever," Hinata added. "Sakura, can you check please?"

"Of course," Sakura replied. Sakura donned her surgery gloves. "I always bring them just in case." Sakura turned the corpse around and around, sometimes opening wounds and checking organs. Everybody else had somehow found themselves with their backs turned toward Sakura. "You're right, Hinata. The injuries are not jutsu-inflicted, but more of simply being hacked by kunai. And very sharp and precise kunai for that matter. Some of their bones were cut."

"Bones…" Naruto murmured. Sudden, he remembered! Back when they were chasing Sasuke!

Naruto remembered a man with long white hair, and two red dots on his forehead. He remembered as six of Naruto's shadow clones piled onto the man, but bones had emerged from the man's elbows, shoulders, and knees. "With my special bloodline," the man had said, "I can make my bones ten times harder than steel."

Naruto came out of his reverie. But he needed more information first. "Fuzzy eyebrows, did the man ever tell you about his story?"

"Which man?"

Naruto didn't want to bring up the Sasuke Rescue mission again. "The last member of the Sound ninja, Orochimaru's personal bodyguards."

Rock Lee remembered. "Yes. He had a very tragic life. At a young age, he was imprisoned, because his clan, even though they were warlike, feared his overwhelming ability in his bloodline limit. When he had yet to reach ten, his clan let him free, because they declared war on Kirigakure. Despite their powerful bloodline, it was hopeless to defeat the entire Hidden Village of the Mist. The boy himself managed to escape and found a true friend in Orochimaru, desiring nothing more than to do every last one of his master's wishes."

"Did he live?"

"No, but it was not because of our skill, but on luck. He had contracted a fatal disease, which had killed him, right when he had achieved complete victory over Gaara-sama and me."

"What clan was he a part of?"

"Umm… I can't really remember, we didn't know any names… Wait! Yes, that's it! The Kaguya clan."

"Shikamaru, I think that is an important note to remember. I mean, Rock Lee and I both fought that man, and his bloodline limit would be the only thing I know that can inflict such damage."

"Wait, let me check," Lee said. "Yes, the surgical precision and deep clean cuts fit perfectly with that bloodline ability."

"That can't be true," Sasuke said. He hadn't said a word since they had last met at the enclave. "You are referring to Kaguya Kimimaro right? Orochimaru's ablest and most loyal servant? The one with the ability to change and regenerate his bones?"

"Exactly."

"Kimimaro was the last of his clan. The rest of them were wiped out when they launched a suicide attack on Kirigakure. Orochimaru had intended for Kimimaro to be the one who would be his container, but because of a fatal disease he contracted, Kimimaro became useless. Unless you're saying he was reincarnated, you're making an impossible conjecture."

"There's always Edo Tensei," Sakura replied. "True, Orochimaru is dead, but that doesn't mean nobody else has found out the secret."

"OK, OK, enough already," Shikamaru said, half-annoyed. Well, he was annoyed all the time, so you couldn't really tell what he was thinking. "We'll just tell this to Hokage-sama, and maybe she will be able to do something." _Which brings me to the question, why did she send us rather than ANBU? It must be because of Sasuke. She wants us to harmonize again. The rest of the village must really hate him, and she cannot want another Itachi on her hands._

Shikamaru was forced out of his stupor by a sudden crash in the treetops nearby. A ninja fell off, only to be picked up by comrades and rushed away.

"We've got company," Shikamaru said.

Indeed, at that precise moment, an avalanche of kunai rained upon them.

"Dispel!" Everybody shouted. Most of the kunai disappeared, except for 12, which were aiming directly at everybody's vital points.

A man materialized out of thin air, with his kunai inches from Sasuke's throat. However, it suddenly seemed to be blocked by an electric force field. Sasuke then pulled his Sword of Kusanagi out, and impaled the man. Sasuke then sent the current through the man's body, stopping his heart.

Naruto recognized the jutsu. He had witnessed Sasuke use Chidori Nagashi on Yamato when they first met. Sasuke used it again the second time on Naruto, and Naruto could still remember how his entire body seemed to go on fire. It was a sizzling feeling, but very painful.

Elsewhere, Shikamaru had all the Rock ninjas trapped in a Shadow Bind. Shikamaru's stamina had increased immensely. There was no way he could have done that extensive of a Shadow Bind three and a half years ago, but now, he seemed to be doing it as if he were watching clouds.

"Hold them still, Shikamaru!" Naruto shouted. Not to be outdone by Sasuke, Naruto used his latest move. He prepared Rasengan in both hands, one in each, and threw them toward the 20 ninjas. However, the Rasengan seemed to suddenly burst open, as the wind-imbued chakra contained within Rasengan exploded. At the last second, Shikamaru released the ninjas. The chakra easily penetrated the Rock ninjas, and turned their bodies into pieces of slimy meat.

Everybody seemed to be shocked at the apparent cruelty of Naruto's jutsu. Well, everybody except Sasuke, who had experienced Naruto's wind-style Rasengan when they last met. True, Sasuke had Chidori Nagashi protecting himself, but he still felt the stinging pain as the chakra had attempted to tear him to shreds.

"Hey, it was painless for them. Anyways, where did those Mist ninjas go?"

"They went that direction," Neji replied, who had his Byakugan activated. "And they're going very fast. Follow me."

They streaked through the woods at what appeared to be breakneck speed. Those ninjas appeared to be very fast and experienced. They were obviously jonin, or at least jonin-level.

"Wait, they've stopped," Neji stated.

As the group stopped nearly instantaneously, Akamaru suddenly started to growl and paw the ground impatiently. He had his nose pointed toward a nearby stump.

"What is it?" Hinata asked.

"He's smelled something malevolent, but also strangely familiar, right beyond that stump."

Hinata used her Byakugan. "There's a dead body right there, but what could it be to give Akamaru such pain?"

"Only one way to find out," Kiba replied.

Kiba and Akamaru moved cautiously toward the stump, as though afraid the dead body would suddenly spring up. When they saw the body, however, their expressions turned from surprised, to disgusted, to angry, and last, to a little afraid. The rest of the group came as well, and what lay before their eyes disgusted them to the core.

The carcass barely resembled a human. His body wasn't just mutilated – it appeared to have been eaten, _from the inside_. They could see the organs spilling out onto the ground, and his muscles seem to have been torn from brute force. This man had died a grisly and excruciating death.

"Sakon and Ukon," Sasuke stated.

"Those two brothers?" Kiba asked. "Yeah."

"Kirigakure must have been horrible," Sasuke continued, "For Orochimaru to have found so many followers from that village."

Kiba looked at everybody else's blank faces. "This is the bloodline limit of the two Sound ninjas I had to fight three and a half years ago. They are able to merge with the cells of others, and then tear their opponent to shreds from the inside out. The only way to stop that technique is to seriously wound yourself, and the both of you will feel deep pain, or in extreme cases, die together. I tried to do that back then."

"I had heard of this clan before," Sakura stated. "It was in one of the history books we had to read at the Academy. The Mitsuko clan was one of the oldest in Kirigakure, an indispensable part of the village. It is much like the Hyuga Clan of Konoha. This was also the first clan that was exterminated in the Mass Purge of Kirigakure."

"So," Shikamaru said. He was clearly distraught, and deep in thought. "All of a sudden, we have two clans that are supposedly exterminated, and all of a sudden, they are back in the game. Anyways, let's not forget the mission at hand."

Apparently, the ninjas had stopped to treat their fallen companion. They had gathered together with their friends, who seemed to be the medical ninjas.

"They are very good medical ninjas," Sakura replied, "Their movements are so precise it's almost beautiful. They could even be Kabuto's teachers. It's a pity we cannot share this knowledge and expertise."

"We should report back to Tsunade immediately," Shikamaru hissed. "We had thought Orochimaru's bodyguards were one-of-a-kind, but suddenly, Kirigakure seems to make them common."

Silently, the group made its way back. Their muscles seemed to have become megaphones, and were very surprised that the Mist ninja didn't hear them and kill them by eating them inside out. Finally, they arrived at a safe spot, far from the battle zone.

Shikamaru explained that they knew enough now, and it is probably all they can get short of actively participating in the war. He stated that they needed to tell everything to Tsunade first, and leave the rest to her. "Politics is a very troublesome business," Shikamaru stated matter-of-factly.

However, no sooner had they gotten off of Mariana Island and back on Water Country soil that they were met with Kakashi, Tenzo, Gai, Kurenai, and Jiraiya.

"So, my young warriors," Gai exclaimed joyfully, "Tell us of your gallant adventures and any hard-earned information you got."

"We have a two-way radio, directly connected to the Hokage," Kakashi stated. "All the jonins and high-level chunins are listening in as well."

The radio was turned on, a light static filled the air, and Shikamaru was now probably talking to all the ninjas in Konoha right now.

"I must say that the findings are very surprising," Shikamaru stated. "What we know is that the 41 people massacred were excellent infiltrators, with many years of experience. They were to follow a strict regimented lifestyle, a lifestyle that could be maintained for years. So Hidden Cloud long had intentions of annexing Hidden Mist, being prepared for a long-term operation of data-gathering and fighting that could last several years."

On the other side, Tsunade realized the implications. Kumogakure had intentions to conquer the world, starting with the small Water Country. Their next target would have been the Alliance of Leaf and Sand, and last, their own ally – Earth Country.

"Moreover, they were killed by one extremely powerful ninja, perhaps the Mizukage. We have also found that there are two clans that were presumed to be destroyed, but seem to have been resurrected. They are the Mitsuko Clan and the Kaguya Clan. The Mitsuko Clan is the clan that can merge and separate the cells of the body they occupy, and the Kaguya Clan is able to manipulate their bones and make it 10 times harder than steel."

Tsunade was shocked. The extermination of the Kaguya and the Mitsuko Clans was well documented. There was a way to restart bloodline limits?

"All right, you have a new mission," Tsunade stated. "You are to observe a major battle that will occur at Golgotha in a week. Hidden Rock and Cloud have dispensed with all secrecy, since they know that they have no chance at beating the Mist in that genre. They have resorted to using superior numbers to deal a lethal blow. All available jonin will be assigned to help you." 

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Endnotes:

Please read and review


	6. The Seven Clans

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.

Refer to the glossary on Chapter 1 if you can't understand some of the words.

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**Chapter 6 **

**The Seven Clans**

"What?" The 12 teenagers demanded. "_The_ Plains of Golgotha? _The_ place where Hidden Mist, Cloud, and Rock will fight?"

"Yes! Now will you quiet down and let me explain?" Tsunade hissed.

Everybody came into a deathly silence. Tsunade's rage was more than they dared incite.

On the other side, Tsunade let out a breath, as though trying to calm herself. "Based on our discreet observance of troop movements, there will be a major battle at the Plains of Golgotha in a week. Unlike all previous skirmishes, this is going to be a head-on battle, a showdown of military might. They seek an early end. Once a good opportunity is achieved, we will step in and mediate this conflict. We cannot let either side win."

Tsunade didn't tell them why, though. She knew that if the Alliance of Rock and Cloud wins, they will most definitely use Hidden Mist's resources to wage a greater war on Leaf and Sand. If Hidden Mist wins, well, they too may wage war on Konoha and Suna.

"Any questions?" Tsunade asked.

"No, sir," everybody chimed.

Tsunade cut off the transmission, then leaned back on her chair, stretched, and yawned loudly.

"Tsunade-sama," Shizune reproached, "You shouldn't put too little weight into this matter!"

"I _do_ understand the importance Shizune," Tsunade replied angrily. "I'm just glad that I have done all that I need done. What's left is up to fate, on who wins this battle. Moreover, I finally get Jiraiya away from here. He still tries to peek at me behind the window."

"I hope Jiraiya-sama is all right," Shizune said. "I heard Hidden Mist has developed an excellent anti-infiltration network. Jiraiya-sama will have a huge challenge trying to pry any information from them."

"Yeah." Tsunade felt a little bad for Jiraiya actually. She had turned him into a scapegoat. He can definitely get more information than what Shikamaru would have gotten, and since he isn't truly part of Konoha anymore, Konoha won't get blamed if Jiraiya is caught. But then, Jiraiya would suffer all the punishments.

--

"So, any questions?" A ninja asked a group of 7 people.

"No, Mizukage-sama!"

"May the Seven Clans be victorious in this showdown with the Alliance. Remember, we want an early end, so put your soul into every kunai thrown."

-

"Got any questions?"

"No," An entire crowd of ninja's shouted.

"This battle is a great battle," shouted the Raikage. "You must do this for the good of the Alliance. Once this battle is ours, we will march straight to Kirigakure, and liberate that village from its regime. For honor, for glory, for country!"

"Honor! Glory! Country!" The crowd chanted.

"The Raikage is correct! Listen to him, my fellow Rock ninjas! We will obliterate this foe before us, and this battle at the Plains of Golgotha will be epic. Do your part in this battle of good against evil, and together, we WILL succeed! May the victor, be Justice!"

One week later…

Shikamaru could literally feel the earth quake below his feet. Overhead, the sky began to darken, as raindrops began to fall. In a matter of seconds, it began to pour, and soon, lightning flashed. A particular lightning bolt struck a large boulder at the top of the hill he was on, splitting the boulder in half. Water from the nearby stream gushed down the slope. But from Shikamaru's angle, it seemed like water had suddenly broken the boulder and gushed in its merciless course downhill, and the lightning bolts could do little to stop it.

Shikamaru lazily got up, with his hair all messed up. He had been napping for the last three hours, under what had been a beautiful sky full of puffy white clouds and a gleaming sun. Now, all that tranquility has been ruined by the storm, and his napping place has been ruined. He will have to go inside.

Everybody else had returned to a few tents that were pitched in the woods. There was no need for any lookouts – every available Rock, Cloud, and Mist ninja would be assembled for the imminent attack. While it was clear that the attack would occur in less than 6 hours, it was not clear exactly when in those 6 hours. Therefore, the Konoha ninjas were sitting idle, but alert to move at a moment's notice.

"You know," Naruto was saying, "I haven't felt this nervous since the Chunin exams. I know I'm not taking part in the action, but I'm still feeling nervous."

"Now you know how I felt when I watched you during the Chunin Exam," Kakashi replied. "You were underdogs back then. Neji had overwhelming odds against you, Gaara was feared to be unstoppable, and Ino was a clear favorite over Sakura. Despite the odds, you fought with all your heart to succeed, and that was truly worth watching. We held our breaths to see if the new buds would blossom. People who couldn't see that Chunin Exam sincerely regretted it even until this day."

Shikamaru then turned around toward Sasuke, who was hunched in a corner. Sasuke caught Shikamaru's eye, and spoke – the first time he spoke for a week. "I remember, from Orochimaru's lessons," Sasuke said, "that Kirigakure could barely be called a Great Shinobi Village. It was horrible, with constant internal war, incessant crime, and no centralized control whatsoever. Yet they are to defeat a far more superior foe."

Shikamaru was surprised to hear Sasuke mention Orochimaru. "Yeah, it really is. And I think I feel them now. All right everybody, time to move out!"

In a flash, everybody blew out their dim candles, packed everything tightly, left the seductive warmth of the tents, and stepped into the rain.

--

"INCOMING!"

The attack was extremely sudden. In fact, to the casual onlooker, it would appear as though it was a case of hail. But upon closer inspection, what appeared to be hail was actually shiny white bones – finger bones to be exact.

A large earthen wall suddenly erected. Rock ninjas poured from the top, like termites spilling out of a termite hill. The rain of finger bones didn't stop either.

"Are you crazy, captain?! The men aren't cannon fodder! We can't charge head on!"

"Then what do you propose?"

The captain was correct. The rain, which had been pouring for the last hour, underwent a dramatic shift. Instead of being harmless droplets, they became hard as steel, sharp as needles.

The Rock ninjas began to scream. More boulders were erected, but they could only hold on for so long. With each pellet of rain and bone, more cracks appeared.

"WHERE THE HELL ARE THE FREAK'N CLOUD NINJAS?"

--

"Keep it up, men! Umani, give your people a rest!"

"OK, let your bones regenerate now!" Kaguya Umani ordered. "But Ankara, the mounds…"

"They can wait. My men can keep the rain going for another 15 minutes. That should be enough for our main forces to arrive."

"But the enemy doesn't have its main force either. I only see Rock ninja…"

"Don't talk, just focus on regenerating. I don't want your men to die from lack of skeletal support or uncontrolled calcium build-up."

--

"Captain, the mounds will break soon! We have to stop their long-range attacks!"

"The others should have flanked them by now! Those needles and bones will stop anytime now, don't lose hope!"

"You heard the captain, men! Don't lose faith! The worst will be over soon!"

"Think of your country! Think of what you are fighting for! Don't forget…"

"REPORT!" It was a messenger from the flanking team. The captain's initial smile disappeared quickly after seeing the face of the messenger.

"Our team's been outnumbered! They had us going the whole time! We didn't go far enough to flank them! Most of our men have been killed! Our forces are too thin to continue!"

"We must continue!" bellowed the captain. "And what is it with _us_ being outnumbered? It's two Hidden Villages against one, damn it!"

BOOM

"Oh, here comes the cavalry now, a bit late as usual," the captain said sullenly.

It was the Cloud ninja. Their jutsus were made all the more powerful by the rain. The ninjas were grouped in phalanxes, with the front row setting up a lightning shield to protect everybody behind them. The water bullets and bones could not penetrate the shields.

Behind the assaulting phalanxes, ninjas in the back were casting lightning bolts. Though it was difficult to aim precisely from a far distance, the damage was still deadly.

"Let them get close," Umani said. "Tell your men to fall back, Ankara. The Kaguya Clan's bloodlust begins when we start our close range combat. In the meantime, tell the Manjyoto and Medic clans to hurry up. They need to be here NOW!"

"All right. Umani. I'm counting on you. Fall back men! Good luck, Umani." With that, Ankara and his men were gone.

The weather began to clear. There was no more rain falling. The fog had lifted itself. Umani and the Kaguyas looked grimly on as the Cloud ninjas began their advance towards them. With grim satisfaction, the Mist ninjas began to take off their outer clothes, shivering in the cold, but burning in anxiety.

"Their phalanx formation is strong. Jump back and attack them from the rear," Umani stated.

"Yes, sir!"

-

Ankara was going at full speed. Nobody in all of Kirigakure had anywhere near his speed. As the first to have been given the powers of the Hiroko Clan, his abilities are unmatched.

As Ankara silently boasted, he felt a pang of jealousy: Kira. Though technically a wanderer, she still carries the blood of the Hiroko Clan within her. She is the last survivor of the actual clan, the rest of whom were massacred years ago. She acquired her abilities not from the artificial doings of the Mizukage, but naturally through her parents.

Ankara reminded himself that this was no time for petty rivalries. Kira willingly obeys Ankara's orders, as she does to all the leaders of the Seven Clans. Kira has no desire to rule; she only wants to help the First Mizukage do his job. Why should he bicker with her when there is nothing to debate on? Ankara quickly quenched the thoughts away, focusing on finding the main forces.

Ankara's men were all in the nearby woods. Should Umani be unable to stand against the Cloud ninjas, Ankara's men would come out as a surprise, overtaking the enemy. It was much better for Ankara to go alone, though he still felt a wave of panic when he thought about the possibility of himself getting ambushed.

Just as he was continuing in this vein, he heard a twig snap. Ankara sent a quick ice needle at the source, who blocked the needle easily.

"Calm down, Ankara. It's me."

Ankara breathed a sigh of relief. "Our forces are up ahead. Umani is leading the Kaguyas on a frontal defense against the enemy. We have also gained a minor victory, defeating a band of Rock ninjas who attempted to flank us. We…"

Ankara was shocked to realize who he was talking to. It was no mistake, the Sword of Muramasa was gleaming at the ninja's side. "Kira! What are you doing here! I didn't know…"

"Of course I'd be leading our main force personally. Jyashin-sama is busy planning everything out in the back, and so I get the honor instead. But let's save it for later. Lead us the way."

"Yes, we must hurry. I don't know how long everybody could last."

When they finally arrived, it was to find all the Mist ninjas fighting guerrilla warfare among the trees. A dead Rock ninja fell from a tree, a bone sticking out from his heart. Umani soon appeared.

"I'm sorry. We held them for a long time, but then their main force arrived. Your backup was very good planning – we even pushed their main force back a little. But we were outnumbered and outgunned. I ordered everybody remaining to go to the trees to start guerrilla fighting. Our loses are high – 35. That doesn't even include anybody who died in this forest."

"Tell them to regroup," Kira commanded. "We'll form a long line, and charge them out of these woods."

"Yes, sir!" Umani replied. He let out a shrill whistle that ran throughout the forest. Kira smiled. The whistle, to anyone unfamiliar to its sound, brought sure terror into men's hearts.

As Mist ninjas began to reform, Kira organized the main attacking force into legions. She maintained long-distance fighters in the back, letting them rest for the moment. In the far back, there was the Medic Clan. This clan, unlike the others, is not family based. Rather, gifted ninjas with impeccable chakra control were chosen to join the clan, and given a rigorous training regimen to become the world's most powerful medical corps.

"Everybody ready?" Kira shouted. "Charge!"

Kira moved forward quickly. She cast a large genjutsu to give the impression of a large shockwave, causing all the enemy ninjas to fall out of the trees. It was the moment Kira wanted. She charged forward, slaying everybody in her path. She led the way for destruction, as the horde of Mist ninjas stormed the forest.

A few scattered Rock and Cloud ninjas managed to get back into the plains. Kira halted the charge, letting the injured enemy limp away. "Just fight like how you always do," Kira told them.

--

"It appears the tide has turned," the Iwakage said.

"Then let's bring the tide to our side," replied the Raikage. "Let them feel the power of two kages. I know the Mizukage is in there somewhere. Who else could have led such a successful counterattack? I want to meet this Mizukage face to face in an honorable battle. I want to know why he is so popular, that the people have renamed him the First Mizukage, disregarding all the previous Mizukages."

It was a lot harder to turn the tide than expected. The Mist ninjas appeared to have all types of ninja, even appearing to have Cloud and Rock ninja on their side. Even the reserves had to be pulled in.

"So this is the fabled Manjyoto Clan," the Raikage said admiringly. "The Clan that can change the element of their attack. So they can use an element we are weak in – Water for our Cloud ninja, Wind for your Earth ninja – giving them a huge advantage. They are also very balanced in their skills of taijutsu, genjutsu, and ninjutsu. A powerful fighting force indeed."

"I think it is time we joined the fight."

-

"Sir, watch out!" A ninja rushed forward and pushed Manjyoto Hideki out of the way. Instead, a fierce lightning bolt hit the ninja instead. He had sacrificed himself to save his clan leader.

"So this is how a kage fights!" Hideki laughed deliriously. "Bring it on!"

A large boulder suddenly came from below the ground. Hideki knew there was no time for him to dodge it. _Is this the end?_ Suddenly, a shiny sword cut the boulder cleanly into ten or so pieces. Hideki was temporarily shocked. Then he realized it was the Sword of Muramasa.

"Thank you, Kira."

Hideki focused on the Raikage, while Kira fought the Iwakage. Hideki, for the first time, found himself fighting an enemy he could not defeat. Hideki was a general fighter – he was balanced in every aspect. However, this was disadvantageous as he had to dodge the Raikage's attacks, which were more specialized. Had Hideki been better trained and faster, he would have been able to deal the first blows, but the Raikage was more experienced. Hideki knew he was in a losing situation, as he was constantly on the defensive.

Elsewhere, the Iwakage was laughing maniacally. They had sent this wench to fight him? What a joke! Women shouldn't be ninjas at all! Why, even the simplest kunai had struck her. She appeared to be disoriented, and always miscalculated her distances. In fact, if she got a bruise, she was lucky!

The remaining Rock and Cloud ninjas were regaining their momentum. The appearance of their Village kages toying with their foes brought inspiration into them. Every Rock and Cloud ninja burst out laughing at the sight of the clear mismatch.

"It will soon be ours!"

"You moron! The day is already ours!" A stream of laughter followed.

"Let's go men! Fight! We have nothing to fear!"

The Mist ninjas were gradually pushed back near the forest, where a thin fog was rising.

"Trying to hide, are we!" A chorus of laughter. "Cowards." Laughter. "Rats. Sewer rats!" More laughter.

The fog was thickening. Gradually, the Rock and Cloud ninjas couldn't see their comrades, and screams could be heard. They realized the screams all came from their fellow ninja, and no unfamiliar scream belonging to a faceless Mist ninja was heard.

"Get out! Get out! Retreat! Out, out, OUT!"

Quickly, the Rock and Cloud ninjas managed to get out of the fog. It was a nod to their skill that despite their extreme fog, they still retained their direction. Fortunately, fewer than 10 people were missing.

"Damn it! It was just the echoes from the surrounding region. We've been tricked!"

"Oh, have you?" It was a deep and sinister voice. The Raikage and Iwakage started. The Iwakage realized that he had been fighting an illusion all along. The illusionist was a master illusionist – the Iwakage was caught in an unescapable trap!

"All those movements, all those illusions… They were simply to manipulate me into this place? Impossible!"

"I beg to differ," replied a quiet and feminine voice. The Iwakage turned around, and saw the woman he was fighting. "You have disgraced my kind. You thought females shouldn't even be ninjas. That is unforgivable." And then, she thrust the Sword of Muramasa through the Iwakage's heart. The original sword of the great sword smith leaves no room for accidents – the Iwakage died instantly. He couldn't even move his fingers to protect himself – Kira had numbed all his muscles.

Suddenly, a strange horn was blown. It was not irritating, but certainly a disturbing sound. It was the final sound many heard. The Plains of Golgotha had been cleared of all Mist ninjas by then. The Rock and Cloud ninjas were caught on the battlefield, surrounded by a fog.

"The first gate of hell. Ravage!"

Flames shot up through the ground. Lava came spilling out from fissures.

"The second gate of hell. Pillage!"

The flames grew into a wild forest fire. The entire plains was caught in a choking, blood-red flame. The ninjas were getting slaughtered like pigs, and they knew it. The shrieks they gave before they burned to death were deathly and frightening.

"The third gate of hell. Rampage!"

Whirlwinds of fire began to rain down from the heavens. Most of the remaining ninjas were killed. What few remaining were protected by the electric field of the Raikage.

"The fourth gate of hell. Ravish!"

The fires around began to swirl tighter into a cyclone. It literally attempted to tear apart the electric field of the Raikage.

"Such power! I can't take it anymore! It's getting through with brute force! Is this the power of the First Mizukage?"

"The fifth gate of hell. Flash flood." This time, the voice did not shout, but rather carried certain finality in it.

The fire shot straight up into the air, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of meters into the dark sky. As though God had parted the sea the flames stood, but then, the invisible force holding them up collapsed. The flames rushed downward, killing everybody left in the plains.

The fire had been so intense that no water was left. The mist was gone, the rain had vaporized, and the land had become scorched. Perhaps no vegetation may ever grow on Golgotha again.

--

"Wow, that was unbelievable," Sakura said in a low whisper.

Everybody else was shocked Everybody knew that Hidden Mist could barely be called a shinobi village. The mist was blessed with natural protection, but instead, they wallow in civil wars, even worse than fighting other nations. Over a century of internal fighting has weakened Hidden Mist to near non-existence. However, Kirigakure's demonstration of might today was an iron wall. There were absolutely no holes.

"I always wondered why Orochimaru attacked Konoha without much support," Sasuke said sullenly after a while. "I always believed Hidden Mist to be the best option, drawing an image of a run-down cluster of shacks from what I heard. I wondered why Orochimaru didn't take Hidden Mist first, and then use its power together with Hidden Sand to defeat Konoha."

"Orochimaru must have known," Shikamaru concluded. "But he was too afraid to admit the fact that he could not take on anybody else. While his feelings for Konoha did play a major factor, he also knew that he had no choice. Hidden Rock is powerful enough to challenge Konoha by itself, and Hidden Cloud has too little cover to conduct a secret takeover. Rock and Cloud always had an on-off alliance, which made it too risky to take Cloud. So, Orochimaru could only trick Hidden Sand and use its power to attempt to destroy Hidden Leaf."

"And I have managed to see the power of the Seven Clans," Jiraiya added. He did not use his playful, high voice, but rather his deep and serious voice.

"What are the Seven Clans?" asked Sakura.

"A century ago, when Hidden Mist had just come out of the last Great Shinobi War unscathed, it was the strongest village of all. The 'clans' of Hidden Mist had been instrumental to its complete victory, and became extremely proud of themselves. All their members were extreme factionalists, eventually leading to the bloodiest civil war recorded in history. No clan was willing to give in until the last man died. The last remaining clan had only a handful of people remaining, no more than 20. They searched far and wide for the descendants of the other clans. They managed to locate descendants of five other factions, and together became the Six Clans."

"But you said…"

"Hold on, the story doesn't end there. Even though Hidden Mist was able to remain powerful enough to be a Great Shinobi Village, internal strife continued. The people finally had enough of it, and began the Mass Purge about 20 years ago. All members of clans were hunted and killed in cold blood."

"I still remember the day the massacre began," Kakashi stated.

"It was terrible. The darkest day I have ever known. It never ceased raining," Gai added.

"It was all filmed and reported," Kurenai interjected. "Babies decapitated, women raped and murdered, the men forced to dig their own graves, then pushed in and buried alive." She shuddered. "Nobody was ever going to forget that. The Mizukage at that time was driven insane, and they found him three days later, hanged. He was so ashamed that he couldn't even commit seppuku."

"Indeed," Jiraiya went on. "The screams never ceased from Hidden Mist. Even border patrols in Konoha and Kumo could hear the wailing across the sea." Jiraiya paused, and everybody paid their respects to the dead. "But there is no point brooding about the past. Hidden Mist certainly realized it, elected their 11th Mizukage, who was an old and benign codger, and attempted to restart life. Obviously they couldn't do it."

"Until the 12th Mizukage arrived," Shikamaru pointed out. "I hear things here and there. A foreign prodigy arrived in Hidden Mist one way or another. He quickly became the 11th Mizukage's personal advisor, and three years later became the 12th Mizukage. Life became much better after that – there were no more internal conflicts."

"All our ANBU reports confirmed that the village was still impoverished," Kakashi said. "We were wrong."

"And now, these original six clans have suddenly resurfaced," Jiraiya added. "The Kaguya Clan, as you know, can manipulate their bone structure. You have seen the carnage of the Mitsuko Clan, which can merge with the cells of another. The long range fighters who manipulate water and ice belonged to the Hiroko Clan. I believe Team 7 had met one of them in their first C-rank mission."

"I'll never forget Haku," Naruto said. "He became himself because of Hidden Mist's wretchedness. Nobody cared for him until Zabuzza."

"The Manjyoto Clan is an elite fighting force," Jiraiya went on, "able to change the element of their attacks. They can change the core nature of their chakra to any one of the five elements – fire, water, lightning, wind, and earth. You probably noticed the power of their medics, Sakura. They carry only a portion of the former power of the Tomayko Clan, who can control their chakra to weave through the eye of a needle."

"I've never seen such an advanced medical squadron before," Sakura nodded in agreement. "They could even give Tsunade-sama a run for her money."

"However, you may have noticed that I said 'Seven Clans'? Remember, the Mizukage is foreign to Hidden Mist, so he naturally brought his own clan's abilities to Hidden Mist. I could never find out what clan he belonged to, or which village he came from."

The group was awed at the renewed power of Hidden Mist. It was as if the Hidden Mist of old, the Hidden Mist who emerged victorious from the last Great Shinobi War, had returned.

"What's better," Jiraiya added as an afterthought, "the people worship their new leader. They even christened him as the First Mizukage."

--

Tsunade had watched the video of the battle over and over again. She had practically memorized all the details of the battle. The initial surge of victory for the Mist, the sudden appearance of the Cloud and Rock main force, the guerrilla fighting in the forest, the charge of the Mist, and that last scorch of the earth: it was all in Tsunade's memory. She was curious to know just what _was_ that jutsu, the five gates of hell?

On her desk lay details of the peace treaty. It was to be conducted at Hidden Leaf, on neutral ground. Tsunade had decreed that all available ninjas chunin level and above would be on alert to guard against any attacks. She even asked Gaara to send reinforcements.

Below this treaty lay Gaara's letter. He had given his consent to Tsunade's request for troops. He was even going to come personally with Temari and Kankuro. Finally, Gaara had laid out plans for a peace token. It was a bold move, to try to reconcile the partakers of the war. Tsunade doubted it would pass – Hidden Mist had crushed Hidden Rock and Hidden Cloud. In fact, Rock and Cloud had to recruit pre-teens to do enough missions just to survive!

"What is it, Jiraiya?" Tsunade asked lazily.

Jiraiya's head suddenly appeared behind a pillar. "Aw, Tsunade. I was just marveling at your magnificent…"

"Don't push it, Jiraiya," replied Tsunade maliciously.

"Fine, fine, fine," Jiraiya backed off noticeably. "And by the way, did you enjoy the tape?"

"_Immensely_. Care to expand on the video with the information you gathered?"

"By all means. I believe you are familiar with Hidden Mist's story, and what I have told Shikamaru?"

"Of course."

"Well, the Clans that fought for Hidden Mist generally do not work together. The Manjyoto and Kaguya clans have been blood enemies since they began. I have also seen members of different clans working perfectly together, as though they have been a team since time began. Even our village, reputed to be the most peaceful village, cannot synchronize our clans perfectly. Every clan is adverse to work with another – they always try to reduce their own losses, and to get another clan to do all the work."

A bird suddenly perched on the window sill. Tsunade, lost in her musings, absently looked at the bird.

"The clans of Hidden Mist work tirelessly to promote themselves. That is certain. Yet their interests do not seem to collide, and I have met very few of their clan members at Hidden Mist. No more than 3 people from each clan were at Hidden Mist. In fact, Hidden Mist seems to be a commercial center, filled more with commoners and academy students than real ninjas. Other than the, what should we call them, delegates from each clan, the highest level ninja I found at Hidden Mist was a genin."

"So their actual bases of operation are elsewhere?"

"Precisely. With nowhere else to expand, I drew the easiest conclusion. Hidden Mist's clans are focusing on expanding seaward, building a naval empire."

The bird suddenly flew away, into the distant horizon. Tsunade watched its flight for a while, then responded. "Naval empires are indeed more powerful than land empires. You'll have more diverse resources, you'll hold it easier than land empires, and you won't need large armies to sustain it."

"That, exactly, is why I believe Hidden Mist is so powerful. First, they can sustain a large empire, increasing their revenues and decreasing expenditures. Second, their clans can quench their lust for battle by expanding their own lands towards the sea. Third, the seas toward the East are large, so the Hidden Mist clans can fight to their heart's content without conflicting each other. And with these reasons, Hidden Mist can work harmoniously together, and people will be too busy to fight each other."

"Not to mention the huge morale boost they got a week ago. The people won't rise up if their country is prosperous. They will be a terrible burden to take on."

"Not necessarily. You may have noticed that Hidden Mist dared go no further than Mariana Island? They are masters of the sea, not of land. When they raided a band of Rock ninjas at Hell's Gorge, Hidden Mist suffered catastrophic losses. Their entire raiding party was annihilated. They won't try to fight on land in the near future."

"So you think they will agree to this proposal of peace?"

"By all means, no! If there is anything they need, it is the power to fight on land. The best thing to do is to take over lands belonging to Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock. And just to make sure there is no fear of future retribution, they will have to crush Cloud and Rock to the point that they will never stand up again."

Tsunade looked out her window. Her heart dropped, as she saw the delegates arrive. It was going to get very rowdy. The Rock and Cloud councils had arrived, as their kages were killed in battle. They arrived with a retinue of bodyguards – it must have been half of all their remaining adult shinobi.

Then, the delegates for Hidden Mist arrived. There could be no starker contrast. The Mizukage had arrived. He was clearly in high spirits, going about in a light step. He was almost hopping toward the meeting grounds. However, only four people arrived: the Mizukage and three bodyguards flanking him. Tsunade let out a delirious laugh. From outward appearances, Hidden Mist seemed to have been decimated in the war.

What really surprised Tsunade was the ease at which the negotiations had gone. Hidden Mist was extremely generous for a victor. Even the most conservative members of the Rock and Cloud councils had to feel grateful. Not only did Hidden Mist not take any more land, they even gave back some territory Hidden Mist claimed from Hidden Cloud in the past. Of course, Tsunade felt that the area was not especially important to the Mist, so that might not have been generosity.

The Mizukage was a wonderful man. He was tall, but gaunt, old, but lively. When Tsunade presented Gaara's proposition, the Mizukage gracefully accepted.

"I must say," the old man replied, "you have a most ingenuous method. I am impressed. Of course we'll accept this proposal. It seems quite fun."

Something was not right. Tsunade could sense it. Everything had gone perfectly, something that never happens for Tsunade. But there simply was nothing that could have gone wrong. 

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Endnotes:

Please read and review


	7. The Other Meeting

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto nor any part of it.

Refer to the glossary on Chapter 1 if you can't understand some of the words.

Caution: Gory details in part 2

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**Chapter 7: The Other Meeting **

**Part 1: Hidden Mist **

"I'm sorry Kira," replied a much younger Jyashin, still having his red flesh and smooth forehead. "I forgot myself. I was simply angered that Itachi destroyed the Uchiha Clan. I wanted that destiny to be mine. You may wish for things to be the same, but I can go back no more than time can." Jyashin grasped Kira's hand. "I know I haven't been the nicest person in the world, and I'm not going to change anytime soon. But if anybody is able to understand me, it is you."

"Mizukage-sama," a nurse whispered from a slightly ajar door. "Kira-san must have her rest."

"Of course," Jyashin replied. The nurse closed the door. "Another time, Kira."

Jyashin stood up, and walked towards the door. His back was a little stooped, then not quite common. Once Jyashin left, Kira opened her eyes. She was not asleep, as she ought to be. Like all adolescents, she showed an obstinacy to following the rules. Kira giggled, but stopped when Jyashin returned to her mind.

"He isn't acting like a child," Kira rebuked herself. "He isn't acting as though he is the most carefree person in the world. He knows he is the First Mizukage, and the responsibilities that position carries."

Kira stood up and yawned. She did not like being in one place, and certainly not lying in a bed all day. Kira was noticeably different too. She was pretty, and donned girl's clothes then. She even wore some cosmetics for fun. She was not the mature and beautiful woman now, but a young and naïve girl.

Later that day, Kira was discharged from the hospital. Kira stepped into the sun gleefully.

"If I ever want to get any rest at all, I will never step into a hospital again." Kira remembered the sick patients around her, moaning like wandering souls in the river Styx. Most of them weren't sick at all, but suffering from the unfortunate side effects of Jyashin's Seven Clans experiment. While everybody adored Jyashin, they were a little averse to be in the same clan as some of their former enemies. Some people had to be dragged to undergo the experiment – these people suffered the most, since their bodies attempted to reject the new DNA. By now, most people had already undergone the treatment; only small enclaves of radicals remained.

Kira herself did not know how the ritual was performed. She only saw a green light, flashes, and finally a scream from within the chambers. She also remembers Jyashin ordering carcasses dug from the graves. Afterwards, Kira saw people dragged out from the chamber, some screaming, others too tired to even close their eyes. Jyashin did not offer any explanations either, as he would be too tired from the ritual to do anything but eat and sleep.

Kira had warned Jyashin against forcing the people to go against their will, but Jyashin had assured her that the majority did not care at all. Most feedback from the people were positive, as they were pleased with their new found abilities. They were also willing to accept the unethical removal of their ancestors bodies, but Jyashin had been so generous in helping the families of those he removed from the grave that people gladly allowed him to take the corpses. The dissenting 5 minority was silenced, but otherwise unharmed.

"You can't please everyone, but you must give the same chance to everybody."

Kira could hardly see how the Seven Clans experiment was giving equal opportunity. While each clan has its own strengths and weaknesses, some clans are distinctly stronger than others. Kira made a mental note to discuss the matter with Jyashin again, but would he listen? Worse, would he torture her again?

While Kira knew that Jyashin was far from a sadist, she knew Jyashin had a brutal streak as a result of his childhood. Jyashin was right – he would not be the same cheerful person as before, and he would not change for the better.

"But I still must try," Kira thought dejectedly. She knew that she must grow up, to protect Jyashin from himself. No doubt Jyashin was unsettled after he realized what he did to Kira, but she doubted Jyashin would have cared that much for anybody else.

Just then, Kira heard a tingle of a bell, and a zephyr blew from the right side of her face. Turning to her right, Kira noticed a small shrine. Funny, she never noticed it before. Its small size, mediocre outlook, and ambivalent shading blended almost perfectly with the environment.

"It's very small," Kira said aloud to herself. "There isn't anything elaborate that could fit in there. Jyashin already checked the underground, and all tunnels have been explored and documented. Besides! It won't take _too_ long."

Kira walked toward the shrine, determined to simply pop her head in, then leave. The area was very peaceful, being so close to the hospital, and was probably used by senior citizens as a repose for their sojourns in the nearby parks.

However, Kira couldn't help but notice a Magnus effect as she walked toward the shrine. Even if she wanted, Kira felt as though she could never turn back. Even her eyes were fixated on the old battered door. Kira prayed that she didn't fall for another one of Jyashin's "tests".

"There really is nothing to worry about," Kira said in a panicked voice. "I mean, what can be in such a dingy old place?"

Kira opened the door, and saw pitch darkness. The attraction she felt for the shrine suddenly disappeared. The caller beckoned her to come, but wanted her to take the last steps on her own. When Kira's eyes got used to the darkness, she noticed that an old chair was situated like a throne on the other side of the room. Sitting on the chair's armrests was an old box, very skinny, but rather long.

There was no need for Kira to open the box. There was nothing forcing her to do anything. Kira even turned her back, and realized that she was free to do as she pleased. Glad that there was no trap waiting for her, Kira strode across the room and opened the box.

There was a sword inside, but Kira had never seen such a sword. There was no handle, just a pure blade. On top of this blade lay a blank scroll, no doubt used to summon the sword in battle. Kira picked up the blade, and a disappointed look fell on her face.

"What the hell is this?" Kira asked indignantly. "This isn't even a good blade!" In fury, Kira threw the blade like a javelin to the side wall.

To Kira's surprise, the blade went through the wall as though the wall was made of cheese. The blade had made a clean cut, leaving only a tiny slit in the wall, exactly the shape of the thin blade. Kira quickly went outside. She found the blade sticking in a tree at least 20 meters away. The blade had gone through everything in its path, leaving a tiny slit exactly as long and wide as the blade's side.

"This… this is _some_ blade," Kira exclaimed in delight, her previous indignation gone. Picking up the blade, she felt its side again. "Yet to me, this blade is as soft as cotton. This is a priceless treasure!"

Kira decided to surprise Jyashin with her new weapon. She had never before managed to surprise Jyashin before, but this time she felt that it was positively easy.

Once Kira was close to the Mizukage building, she slipped behind a tree. Gathering her chakra, she prepared her invisibility move. A light breeze would usually blow around the building, surprising the two guards positioned at the door, who would shout hello to her, eventually figuring out her location.

However, it was different this time. Instead, Kira felt her chakra being drawn into the blade. In a moment of panic, Kira lost her concentration, but her chakra did not stop, as though somebody was guiding her chakra movements. Kira let go of herself, and continued to pour chakra into the blade. Suddenly, just when Kira spent the usual amount of chakra for invisibility, the blade stopped absorbing chakra, instead pouring it back into Kira tenfold. Kira's invisibility jutsu worked, and the guards did not notice a thing.

"My sword, you really are something," Kira said silently.

Quietly, Kira crawled up the windows to Jyashin's office. She noticed him working. Kira again used her genjutsu to mute her opening her window, and similarly, Kira felt her chakra poured into the blade, and back out tenfold to her. As Kira was about to shout "surprise!", everything went black.

Kira then found herself in the "interrogation room", AKA "torture chamber". She was questioned by Jyashin, the Council, and the leaders of the Seven Clans. They congratulated her on attaining the Sword of Muramasa, though grudgingly. They told her that the sword was the original sword of the legendary sword maker Muramasa. It chooses its owner on its own accord, an owner that the sword itself deems worthy. It had the distinct property that the Sword of Muramasa will never hurt its master. While the owner of the sword is the leader of the Mist Seven Swordsmen, and thus should enjoy a power close to the Mizukage himself, the people were averse to submitting to a woman.

"Jyashin, the people don't give me any respect. They see my sword as a stigma, not an honor. Just because I am a woman, they think I'm scum!"

Jyashin looked at her as though Kira was an alien, then burst out laughing, completely unable to control his mirth.

"Oh, Kira! I haven't had such a laugh since forever, I forgot what it was like!" and proceeded to laugh some more.

"Jyashin, please! I want…"

"More?" Jyashin mimicked in a babyish voice. Unable to control his laughing, he dropped the mimic. "You're not going to get it. Sure, there is a recent wave of feminism rising whose believers think women should be treated like men. That's why I love listening to them, letting them talk shit knowing how full of shit they are." Jyashin laughed hard again.

Kira gave Jyashin the harshest stare possible. When Jyashin saw her expression, he choked from laughing.

"Kira!" Jyashin cried, unable to control his laughter. "Look at you! You're pathetic! You think you can challenge me? Go back and make dinner like how all women should! Or do you want another trip to the hospital?" Jyashin then mimicked a high-pitched woman, saying, "I waaant moooore ri-eye-ghts! What a joke!"

"Then why do you think women should be submissive?" Kira asked desperately.

"Because you are the ones who get pregnant. We live in a fast paced world. You want to take a three month sojourn to have a baby, and expect to _get paid_?! HAHAHA! You are muscularly weaker, inconsistent with your decisions, and focusing too much on the details to notice the big picture. But above all, you lack the hatred and determination prevalent among men to take the reins of power. So go back to your sty, bitch!"

With that, Jyashin turned away, murmuring "women's rights" and cracking up at the very words. "What a joke!"

Kira stared at Jyashin, the anger barely able to be controlled. Despite what her feelings tell her, Kira's logical mind told her that everything Jyashin said was true.

Six years later…

"You did a very good job, Ieyasu. Those people completely fell for you. Even I would have thought that you had a better Mizukage image than me. So, Ieyasu, tell us about the peace treaty," Jyashin stated.

"Very well. As you know, both Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock lost nearly all of its ninjas in their war against us. Their combined force is less than a few score of shinobi. To protect its own borders, Hidden Cloud and Hidden Rock have pooled together its allies to temporarily increase its ninja force. Hidden Leaf and Hidden Sand are standing by to make sure the smaller nations do not attempt to overthrow Rock and Cloud. To occupy most of the shinobi in the smaller nations, the Jonin Exam has been set up, taking place three months from now, in lieu of the Chunin Exam."

"Yes, tell us about that too."

"This event will only be hosted this year. It is a special peace token to mark the end of this international war. Though the apparent losses aren't that great, everybody knows that there is more damage than meets the eye. This Jonin Exam will take place in lieu of the Chunin Exam, as there is too much damage for a normal Chunin Exam. This Jonin Exam is open to all under jonin status: so special jonin, chunins, genins, and even academy students could enter. Each nation, and that includes the smaller shinobi villages, is allowed to send up to five teams, though fluctuations could occur. I agreed to terms allowing some nations to give their seats to others, so Konoha could send six if Suna sends four."

"There is nothing there that interests me. On the other hand, I am here to discuss the greater danger of…"

**Part 2: Hidden Rock **

"Get her!" A large ninja shouted, as six other ninjas followed suit. "That morsel is ours, you dirty little thief! Hand it over and we'll spare your life!"

A girl was running in front of them, her hair flowing in the wind like a thousand birds. She was panting, sweating, and crying.

"No! We have to stop her before she crosses the boundary! Arggh!" With that, the large ninja jumped into the air, hoping to capture the girl. She turned toward the side at the last second, causing the ninja to land smack in his face.

"Damn it! I'm bleeding!"

However, the girl was not out of the woods. She ran smack into another ninja. Punching him in the groin, she quickly turned around, but realized that she was surrounded. The two ninjas who were hurt smiled maliciously.

"Out of my way!" the girl cried with a shrill voice. She ran right between two ninjas. They punched her hard, sending her back, but she tried again. Her determination caught the ninjas off guard, and she was able to make a run for it.

"Damn it! I'll get you back, bitch!"

The girl did not stop running. She ran onto a dark road, and jumped down into the sewage. She continued running through the mazes of the sewage, covering herself with muck and mucus and every other detestable liquid that belongs within the body. Finally, she was grabbed from behind, and her mouth was covered to prevent her from screaming.

"Shhh! I moved today, our location was found. I knew you'd be coming through here, Kumiko."

"Chanbara! Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry. You know how I used to enjoy dramatic entrances."

"We can't do that anymore, Chanbara. Our parents died in the war, the police don't exist anymore, so we have to depend on our feudal lord. If it isn't for them, those renegades could come and tear this place to shreds."

"If it isn't for that dog of a human, we wouldn't be in this sewage in the first place. Anyways, did you get it?"

"Sure did!" Kumiko smiled. "I'm still better!" She unfolded her arms, revealing an armful of bread, butter, and cheese. "That'll last us a week!"

"Yeah, well you're 19, a year older than me. Give me one more year and I'll do twice as much as any girl!"

Kumiko laughed. She didn't understand what was so funny. What lasts them for a week now couldn't have lasted them a day before the war.

"Kumiko. You're overdoing it," Chanbara said with a sense of urgency. He began to unbutton her pants.

"No! Chanbara, really! It's nothing, its…"

But she could not continue. Chanbara had pulled her pants down, revealing a bloody mass that used to be her legs. Blood had been mixed with dirt – dirt that she used to hide her injuries.

"Food is important, but not so important that you have to fight with your life. Kumiko, remember that this will end soon. We'll get our country back, I'll help it happen. I'll enlist, I'll rise, and I'll defeat Kira for sure."

"Chanbara, you can't beat Kira. Don't forget that she killed the Iwakage himself!"

"She also killed our parents. Ever since that battle at Golgotha three months ago, I've been trying to learn our family's forbidden technique."

"Chanbara! You can't do that! You know our great ancestors locked it away after the Great Shinobi War! That power comes at a price, you know! I… I don't want you to become like that!"

"Kumiko," Chanbara said gently. He looked at her longingly. "You'll always be my sister. We may have squabbled and bickered when we were young, but I realize just how important you are now, when I've lost nearly everything. Once I reclaim our family's heritage, I want you to enjoy the fruits of my labor."

"At least let me be part of it! I'll train with you!"

"NO! One monster is enough, and as I was already a monster, I'll do it. I don't intend to live after what I'll become. I'll get to Hidden Mist and do as much damage as I can before they kill me. Only then will I be able to rest peacefully, avenging my family."

"Our family would never want you to become a monster!" Kumiko shrieked. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. The wells of her tears had long dried up.

"Well, well, well! What have we here! Two siblings, making incestuous love!" It was the ninja from previously.

"Look," a big ninja replied, "he even has her pants down!"

"Him!" Kumiko pointed, hastily covering her legs with her pants.

"Yes, me. We don't like you stealing what belongs to us!"

The six ninjas appeared around them, surrounding them. Kumiko and Chanbara looked around frantically, trying to locate a hole they could go through. "You can't hoard up all the food to yourselves when people like us are starving!" Kumiko yelled.

Maniacal laughter. "Well look what we have here! An optimistic, spoiled little wench! I'll show your pretty little face just what life's really all about!"

"Perhaps you're used to teachers treating you with preference?" Another ninja asked in a mock baby voice. "Well you ain't getting SHIT around in real life!" He roared in his deep voice.

Two ninjas took a hold of Chanbara. If he was strong, he would take on all seven easily, but he was too weak from hunger. Meanwhile, the other four took a hold of Kumiko, each one holding one of her appendages.

"And now, my pretty little dove, its time to pay!" the big ninja said, pointing to his face. With a sickening crunch, he punched Kumiko hard on her stomach.

The big ninja grinned evilly. "Boys, I'll let you have your fun later, but I get first dibs." Everybody else laughed with equal malice.

The big ninja ripped Kumiko's panties and shirt off, then tore her brassiere, leaving her completely naked. With rough force, he began to slap her legs where she had been injured previously, opening up the wounds again. Then, he began to take off his own pants, and Kumiko gasped in horror at what he was going to do.

Kumiko began to look for a way to kill herself before she gets defiled, but the surrounding ninjas pinning her firmly to the ground. She could do nothing.

Chanbara was crying with rage, Kumiko was screaming, and finally, the big ninja was finished. He switched places with his comrades, and each in turn began to toy with Kumiko, each to his own style. At 3 a.m., the big ninja was ready for round two, but discovered to his disgust that Kumiko had died.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"She died from bodily asphyxiation. We should have been gentler."

"SCREW THAT!" He yelled. "I don't give a shit about petty little thieves. Bitch," he spat at Kumiko, "you're lucky you died in only 4 hours!"

"Kumiko," Chanbara whispered. "Kumiko… Kumiko… Kumiko…" He continued whispering her name. He looked up at the big ninja, and gave a terrific yell. The two ninjas holding him were startled, and let go. Chanbara made a mad rush toward the large ninja.

It didn't matter that Chanbara was getting hit thirty times for each punch he threw. All that mattered was that he was hitting the large ninja, causing blood to erupt from his mouth and nose. But Chanbara could only go so far. He realized the dawning truth that his strength would die out before the large ninja was killed.

Silently, Chanbara made his farewell to Kumiko. He would never give her the life she deserved. He finally saw how he had been a bitch all his life, and Kumiko had only tried to protect him.

-

"Chanbara!" yelled a woman looking remarkably like Kumiko.

"Yes mother," Chanbara replied in a dull voice.

"You should be…"

"MORE LIKE MY SISTER?" Chanbara yelled. "SCREW HER! Why don't you see me for what I am worth!"

"Hey young man! If you think you're so tough, take this!" Chanbara's mother smacked Chanbara full in the face. "You want to fight, well fight me! If you don't want to get killed, STOP FIGHTING!" She smacked him again.

"Mother, stop!" Kumiko yelled from across the courtyard. "Mother, please stop. Chanbara's nature is like that. Once the therapy works, and he is made civilized…"

"What do you mean, civilized?" Chanbara yelled. "Get out of my face you bitch!"

Smack. "Don't you _DARE_ call your sister that repulsive word!"

"Fuck you, mother! And you too, sister! Fuck you all!" Chanbara made a run for it. He dashed at his mother, trucking her hard onto the cement courtyard. His mother fought back ferociously, but despite Chanbara's young age, the raging monster within him was able to fight square even with his mother.

"Chanbara, STOP!" Kumiko tore Chanbara's arms away from her mother, who promptly kicked Chanbara full in the stomach. As she prepared for another kick, Kumiko stepped in and took the punch for him.

"Damn you Kumiko! I don't need you to bitch me!"

"Kumiko, hold him still. I'll get your father to inject the dose."

"Fuck you, bitch! You ain't no mother of mine! Fuck you! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck you!"

"STOP IT, CHANBARA!" Kumiko screamed through her tears.

-

Chanbara closed his eyes. "I was so bad then," he whispered. "I can't win a single fight, yet keep fighting, even with those who loved me. Mother, I'm sorry. Kumiko, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I can't be a true son, or a true man, or a true warrior. I'm not worth anything."

As Chanbara welled in his awful memories, and continued getting beaten up, a block in his mind suddenly became released. Chanbara felt his strength returning, the punches getting lighter. He didn't know who was punching him, but he knew that it irritated him. It was a fly, a damn fly that wanted part of his soup. Chanbara swatted at it, but it returned. Chanbara wanted to kill the fly real badly, he really wanted to kill the fly badly...

Chanbara stood up, and clasped the fly in both his hands. He began to torture the fly, holding it by its wings and tearing out its legs slowly. He then slammed the fly into the floor.

Chanbara awoke from his reverie. Defeating the ninjas didn't only seem possible, it was positively easy.

Chanbara grabbed a ninja, and threw him thirty meters far, straight into the wall at the opposite end. The other ninjas were shocked. The wall had been broken from the impact. Chanbara was still holding their comrade's arm, which was ripped off when Chanbara swung.

With a large yell, Chanbara slammed his fists into the big ninja, completely disintegrating the ninja. Blood splattered all over the walls of the sewage. Chanbara then prepared his chakra, and punched the floor hard, ripping a massive hole in the ground.

When Chanbara returned to the surface, he understood why his ancestors had barred that technique from ever being used again. But still, Chanbara felt an overwhelming satisfaction. He was covered with blood from head to toe, but he grinned wide. He had won.

But when Chanbara looked up, he saw a squadron of ninjas. Chanbara didn't know why, but the flag they carried was awfully familiar.

"That was some ruckus you caused down there," the leader told Chanbara. "What is your name, mighty one?"

Mighty one. He was actually called mighty! Chanbara was dancing on the insides, but then his strength failed. He felt the strength ebbing from himself, he didn't want it to end, but there was nothing he could do.

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Yes," Chanbara replied, startled. "My name? Its…" Chanbara had momentarily forgotten his name, but when it seemed all his strength was gone, he remembered. "Chanbara."

"We'd like you to go to the new Jonin Exam, and fight for your village, Hidden Cloud. Avenge us, and the people we cherish."

"I would be honored."

**Part 3: River Country **

"So he already knows," the Akatsuki leader said.

"I still think this plan is foolish," Tobi said. "We've lost too many members, now. Our allies are strong, but I don't think they can replace Hidan, Kakazu, Deidara, and Sasori. And don't forget, Orochimaru is dead now, and there is a large portion of Hidden Sound that is loyal to Sasuke, who is back in Konoha."

"Tobi! Do you really think Zetsu's surveillance inadequate?"

"Of course not, sir, but.."

"So shut your mouth."

Silence.

"Good. I realize that some of you aren't as vocal as Tobi, but believe me, now is the best time. We have acquired more money that even Kakazu would have wanted in these last three months, since Hidden Cloud, Rock, and Mist are unable to do too many missions. Our allies have increased three-fold. And above all, the great Shinobi villages are preoccupied with the Jonin Exam to notice us."

"Well Jyashin was…"

"SILENCE! Yes, Jyashin was able to recognize our threat. He is an Uchiha, after all. That is the entire reason he agreed to the Jonin Exam, so he could prepare for us. I wouldn't be surprised if he sent only one team to join the Exam. He isn't much for looks."

"And Sasuke…"

"Sasuke's Sharingan is meaningless to us now. Orochimaru is dead, and we have lost a major headache. We can't replace Orochimaru, Kakazu, or Hidan, since their rings are taken, but no matter. They have fulfilled all their duties. And don't forget, all the bijus are captured and known. Jyashin has the Tiger and Badger, the Fox is still in Naruto, and we have all the rest. Can you really think of a better time, Tobi?"

"I think we have never had as good an opportunity, but I believe a better time would come in the future."

"Wars don't come as often as they used to, Tobi. It may take another century for such a magnificent war to occur again. People are fickle, alliances are never trustworthy, and by the time the opportunity arises, we won't have all our allies. I'm also afraid that if accidents happen now, Sasori isn't here to make our former members puppets, Kakazu isn't here to stitch together torn arms, and Orochimaru isn't here to give some insight into prolonging life. In short, your lives are short now, but we have no other option."

"Couldn't you…"

"If you say another word, Tobi, I will kill you."

Silence.

"Kisame, I need you to find all that remains of your former comrades. Don't make it sound like they're working for anybody other than themselves, and try not to be too insisting."

"Yes sir."

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Endnotes:

Please read and review


	8. The Jonin Exam

**Total Destruction**

Author's notes:

I do not own Naruto, nor any part of it. No fanfiction, especially this one, will be as good as the original.

I've been busy doing college apps. Now I'm back.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Chapter 8: The Jonin Exam**

Tsunade looked outside her window as ninjas from all the shinobi countries reached Konoha. Tsunade didn't like the fact that Konoha would act as host again, but she had to admit that there was no other choice. Hidden Sand would not be a suitable place, and small countries cannot maintain peace as well as Fire Country.

Still, there remained the fact that all missions have been stopped for one week, from July 1 – 8. And also, this is a Jonin Exam, not a Chunin Exam. The death rate would undoubtedly be higher, and if anything out of the ordinary were to happen, there are no "adults" standing by to protect the "kids".

Tsunade sighed. A sudden brawl could break out, and Tsunade doubts a chunin brawl could be stopped. There is a high possibility that the brawlers are more powerful than those attempting to maintain order, and if not, lives must be lost if there is any chance to stop the fight. But then, Tsunade had no other choice. Leave these chunin and special jonin out there, and they'll brawl anyways, only with innocents caught in the crossfire. At least in a tournament, they'll remember that they are not _supposed_ to wreak everything.

Tsunade then turned her attention to the matter at hand – assigning teams. Working with incomplete teams during the Chunin Exams was hard enough, but the Jonin Exam was even tougher. Nations don't even have to attempt to make a 3-man cell in this exam. Hidden Mist decided to send one team, plus a loner. Hidden Rock was the worst – it sent 3 loners, who absolutely refuse to be with each other. The others were a bit easier to deal with.

Tsunade then took a look at the Leaf Village participants. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke had to be separated, she had no idea what could happen if the three were together. They could be a dream team, like the old Sannin, or they could kill each other. Well, Naruto and Sasuke would kill each other, and Sakura would die trying to stop them. Kiba, Shino, and Hinata had to be together – she could not imagine anything better. The Shika-Ino-Cho trio was best kept intact. Tenten and Lee? Why not?

Tsunade smiled nostalgically. The Rookie 9 were once underdogs, now they are top contestants for the big leagues. Perhaps they had the most motivation to succeed, perhaps they had the greatest potential, and perhaps they had the most competition, but no matter what, they have now become the brightest future for Konoha in 20 years, when it seemed the glory of Konoha would never fall.

"Hokage-sama, the ceremony is about to begin. May I take the team assignments?"

"Yes," Tsunade responded, after placing the Mist loner with Tenten and Lee. "I think everything works out quite well." Tsunade leaned back, and took a deep stretch, but then noticed the ninja had not left.

"The contestants are waiting for you."

"Oh! Right. The welcome ceremony. Joy of joys."

Tsunade didn't feel like reading a speech at all, and half-heartedly walked up the hokage building. She really hoped that she could have simply taken a good bottle of sake and drank away till the night. She groaned.

"Hello to you all. As the Godaime Hokage, I will be the host of this tournament. As you all know, this tournament is held to mark the end of this large-scale war. While we should cherish this opportunity, and fight to our heart's content, let us not forget the reason we are here. We are here not for the spoils and morals of war, but for the valor and heroism of peace. Let us observe a moment of silence…" Tsunade hoped that her last sentence would sink into the participants. She waited a full 5 seconds. "And now, let the exam begin!"

Leaf ninjas guided the people to the nearby stands, where the team assignments were handed out.

--

"Chanbara, it is time."

"Screw you."

"No, really. You need to make sure you know who you'll be working with."

"I already know."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I don't give a damn who I'm with. I'm doing everything by myself." Irritation was dripping with every syllable.

"Yes," the Rock ninja coaxed. "Of course. Your goal is simply to kill as many people as possible. But the time is long past when you can simply get your way with brute force. We have to plan, and give a false sense of…"

"My team will find me."

"Chanbara…"

"Ok, ok you bitch. But don't push it."

--

"It's a pity Shikamaru wouldn't join," Ino said to Choji. "We would so rock this exam if he was here!"

"C'mon, Ino," Choji said between mouthfuls of potato chips. "You should know Shikamaru by now. Even if he had a choice, he wouldn't have joined the exam."

"Wait, what do you mean he _didn't_ have a choice?"

Choji smiled.

"TELL ME!" Ino grabbed Choji and shook him violently.

"I'm hungry."

"TELL ME! Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me, TELL ME!"

"OK, OK you whiner!" Choji laughed. "Shikamaru has been ordered to head this exam. He is practically the supervisor. And just to make sure he complies, Tsunade has made this a mission. I heard she ordered a team of jonins to drag him into the office."

"No way," Ino replied.

"Well, it wasn't too hard. It would be too troublesome for Shikamaru to resist. I guess he's becoming used to working hard, and it would be too troublesome to try and go back." Choji let out a long chuckle.

Ino sighed. "Shikamaru never changes, huh? So who's our new teammate?"

Choji scanned the nearest list. "A rock ninja called Katani Chanbara. Never heard of him. Says here that he never did any C-rank or above missions."

"You mean he's a genin?" Ino was really pissed.

"Hard to say," Choji replied. "A lot of data was lost during the war, and sometimes missions can be classified wrong. A D-rank mission could suddenly turn into an A-rank mission if something goes wrong."

It wasn't too hard to locate Chanbara. There weren't many Rock ninjas here anyways.

"Excuse me," Ino asked, "are you Chanbara?"

"Huh." The ninja was leaning lazily against a pillar, eyes closed, mouth slightly open. "Ino Choji?"

"Yeah."

The ninja opened his eyes. "Fuck this. An anorexic and a fatass."

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?" Choji shouted.

"Fatass. Fatty. Obesity incarnate."

Choji's eyes lit on fire. Before Ino could stop him, he made a dash at Chanbara and punched at him with all the might Choji could muster.

"Choji, STOP!"

A sickening crunch resulted. Choji slumped down onto the ground. He rolled up slowly into a kneeling position, and then vomited a barrage of food.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Chanbara asked.

Choji responded with another bout of vomit.

"Your welcome."

"Choji, are you all right?"

Choji vomited again, though just a little bit this time. "I'm alright."

"How could you do that to him?" Ino demanded.

"I was helping him. His stomach was stuffed, and I had to get him more in shape. Don't worry, lady. You don't need to repay my kindness."

"His fat is needed for his jutsus, though!"

"Then his clan should have been exterminated," Chanbara replied coldly. "A clan that consumes food day in and day out, whose members have little brain and use sheer force, what practicality is in that?"

"Then you'll let them die?"

"Yes. They are parasites. If they don't eat a village bankrupt, they'll at least be an unnecessary drain on the resources that could have been used to help a superior, more fit to survive clan."

Ino was filled with anger. With tears in her eyes, she charged at Chanbara, who raised his eyebrows. Suddenly, Shikamaru and a team of jonins appeared, stopping her.

"The battles haven't started yet," Shikamaru replied. "Save your energy for later."

Chanbara smiled. "I haven't started either. These teammates are just too troublesome. They'll get in the way."

"The teams are set."

"Then I'll just have to get rid of them."

Shikamaru didn't argue any further. He reminded himself that this isn't like setting up a Chunin exam. This exam is highly dangerous, and even Tsunade would have to give in to the demands of certain participants. He could tell that Chanbara was not somebody he'd want to negotiate with. If he went any further, he'll just get more entangled.

--

"Hello Lee-san, Tenten-san."

"Hi," Tenten replied.

Silence.

"Lee?" Tenten turned to ask him, only to see that he was gawking at the girl like a statue.

"LEE!" Tenten smacked him.

"Sakura-chan, I'm so sorry! I'll never do it again! I must defeat myself and train harder!"

"Ummm." The girl was abashed.

"I'm sorry about that," Tenten said. "Lee does get a bit carried away at times. You'll get used to him eventually. I'm Tenten, by the way."

"My name's Kira."

"AND I'M ROCK LEE!"

Tenten slapped him hard in the face.

"I'm so sorry, Sakura-chan! Fighting my inside is almost impossible." Pause. "That's why I'm burning with excitement, now!"

"Are you sure you don't need a doctor?" Tenten asked.

--

"I hate my new team!"

"Naruto, shush. You don't know how scary Tsunade can be."

"But Sakura, we were always a team. We always will be a team, no matter what."

"Listen Naruto. This Jonin exam is completely different from the Chunin Exam. The Chunin Exam's purpose was to show off a village's power, thus the best teams are created. But this Jonin Exam isn't meant to show off how a village is superior to the rest, but rather how we are all equals."

"If you were to ask me, I'd say we make the best teams out there and crush the other villages. Now's our perfect chance."

"You'd have to pull out the roots to take out the weed."

"What do you mean?"

"Think of all those children in those small or weak villages. If we kill their parents or crush their villages, they will surely come back to us with vengeance. Yes, they will be on a suicide mission, but they know it and will still do it to seek revenge. They will be maddened to hate us to the point that they'd give up their lives to destroy any bit of us."

"I'm maddened to destroy Tsunade for wreaking our team."

Sakura smiled. "You're too emotional, Naruto. You should…"

"I don't care! Sakura, just remember: no matter what, we're a team. I'd rather help you than help my 'teammates'!"

"Naruto," Sakura laughed. "That will get you killed."

--

They had been sitting like this for quite a few minutes now. Sasuke and his two new teammates – two Cloud ninjas known as Raijin and Sanda – had been at loggerheads all this time.

None of them talked to each other. None of them were willing to break first. They stared intently at each other, asking the other why they aren't talking.

Minute after minute. Perhaps hour after hour. Even when the announcer began the exam, Sasuke and his teammates had not spoken. Nearby groups nicknamed them the Silent Squad.

Sasuke was still pissed that he lost his old teammates of Team Snake. He was sure he killed Orochimaru, but when he saw Orochimaru's spirit rise out from Kabuto, unite with Juugo and the cursed seal, and then swallow Suigetsu and Karin alive, Sasuke was scared for the second time in his life. Orochimaru was never as kind to Sasuke as before, if you could call Sasuke's "container" status as kind.

Sasuke missed Karin and Suigetsu. He was annoyed yes, but he eventually grew used to it that he now feels a certain loneliness. He had always been a loner, but now, it seems as though he just wished Raijin and Sanda would go ahead and start some sort of conversation.

--

"Are you sure that I did what was right?"

"What do you mean, Tsunade-sama?"

"I'm referring to this exam, Shizune. Are you sure that this exam was the right thing to do?"

"Why should it not? We demonstrate our goodwill and the mixing up of teams was intended to…"

"Shizune."

"Well, it does help in the proliferation of peace and…"

"Shizune."

"I mean, at least equality and philanthropy are evident…"

"Shizune!"

"OK, ok, ok, all right, OKAY! I think it's complete bogus! We might say we want to extend friendship but what we actually want is to crush those villages into oblivion! We actually wanted Hidden Mist, Cloud, and Rock all to be destroyed and grab all the business and spoils left of the destruction! We could care less about their recovery and hope their faces will be splattered with mud forever!" Shizune panted from her little diatribe.

"Precisely what I thought." Tsunade let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

"Well…" Shizune stammered. "I mean, nobody is perfect. And even if we were, we can't predict what happens all the time."

Tsunade let out another sigh.

--

Kira was playing her part well. In fact, she was enjoying it. It wasn't too hard to blend in with Rock Lee and Tenten. Lee can't stop goggling at her, and his comic nature made her mission that much easier. Tenten was the kind of person who acts like a rather bossy mother, but is very caring and kind deep inside.

The first part of the exam is survival of the fittest. Hidden Mist never participated in Chunin Exams, but Kira heard that it is exactly like the second part of the Chunin Exam. Survival is easy – Kira frequently left the village for weeks, sometimes trying to find out exactly where Jyashin is. He'd come back to the village a couple days each month, mainly to hear the council's report and sort a few things here and there.

Kira had been most surprised to see Jyashin stay in the village after the war was over. She had expected him to leave, since all the action was gone.

"Kira-sama, the Mizukage wishes to see you."

"The Mizukage himself?" Kira was looking at the ninja in a questioning way. He had his head bowed, but then again, very few people even dared to look Kira in the face. Even Ankara, the leader of her clan, would not dare to look in her face. Perhaps he was scared that Kira would find out about his jealousy – perhaps he already knew.

Nevertheless, Kira followed the ninja to the Mizukage's conference room.

"Leave us," Jyashin said in his flat, though commanding, voice.

The council left as well as the ninja, who probably would escort them to their rooms.

"Have you heard?"

"About the Jonin exam? Most certainly," Kira replied.

"I have decided who to send. First, we'll send one team. They will be comprised merely of kids. Namely, Kaguya Ano, Manjyoto Jun, and Uchiha Ganto. They've completed their respective clan's own training, but I want them to recognize first-hand how real missions are like."

"But Jyashin-sama," Kira objected, "they are their clans' futures! If they are killed…"

"They won't be." Jyashin said coldly. "Not with you watching over them."

"Me?"

"Yes. Who else better to trust than you? Just watch out for them, but don't get in their way."

"And who will be our supervisor? Each village is required to send one representative to supervise their members' behaviors and to advocate their interests."

"Me."

"NO!" The remaining members in the conference room had said at once. Kira just noticed that there were seven others in the room. Specifically, they are the leaders of the seven clans.

"Do not be troubled," Jyashin said. "I don't intend to come out alive. Anything who's ever had the nerve to attack Hidden Leaf has never had a good ending. I just want you all to be happy, and any curse laid on you should instead be relayed to me."

"No! Jyashin-sama!" Everybody kneeled.

"Please get up. You've done more for me than I have for you." Everybody started. They did not know what they have done to deserve such generosity. "You've given me a home, and a family. I've learned to care for this village. I was born in hate, but raised in love. Well, not really love, but its as close to love as I can get. I just want you to agree to one thing."

"Yes, sir!"

"When I'm gone, I want you to follow Kira with as much devotion as you have given me."

Silence.

"Hail the second Mizukage. Kira, goodbye."

Everything after that had happened so fast. Kira was given her last assignment – simply to blend into Konoha, work well within a team, and end up protecting the three youngsters from Hidden Mist. There was a quiet affair, in which all the ninjas of importance and the council attended. Kira was ordained as the second Mizukage, amidst a sea of tears.

"Now, I will face my destiny," Jyashin had said with a smile, as some ninjas literally crawled to Jyashin, hoping to hold him back.

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Endnotes:

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